There are over 112,000 teenagers in the United States foster care system at any given time, out of the over 330,000 children in care in the U.S. Roughly 91,680 foster children fall between the ages of 11 and 16, and around 20,300 youth are 17 years old and nearing the age of emancipation.

Each year, over 15,000 youth age out of the foster care system after turning 18 or 21 without having been adopted or reunited with their families. After these youth age out, 20-30% of them will experience homelessness immediately, and up to 46% will experience housing instability by age 26. Only about 50% of former foster youth are employed by their mid-20s, and many who are working earn sub-poverty wages.

In addition, these young adults may experience mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is said that up to 25% of these young adults have PTSD, which is even higher than the rate among military combat veterans.

Youth who age out of the foster care system are also more likely to be arrested or face incarceration, with some studies showing contact with the criminal justice system in 25% to 40% of these youth. Young women who age out also face elevated rates of unplanned and early pregnancies.

How to Help

What stands between these teenagers and these unfortunate statistics are loving homes like yours. Systematic reviews show that teenagers who are adopted by their foster families achieve much more favorable educational outcomes. When a child has a stable family dynamic, they are shielded from frequent school changes, which can cause academic difficulties. This also provides the emotional support a teenager needs to finish their degree.

There are a lot of myths surrounding foster care, and one in particular holds parents back from fostering teenagers. It is passed around frequently that teenagers in the foster care system are “bad kids,” or even “broken.” The truth is that teenagers do not enter foster care because of their own bad behavior. Teenagers are placed in foster care due to abuse, neglect, or safety crises that are no fault of their own.

The behaviors that teenagers have developed are a response to the trauma they have faced, such as abuse. Because their brains are still developing, teenagers are fully capable of engaging in therapy, building strong and trustworthy relationships, and healing when they are given a safe environment. All these teenagers need is a patient caregiver and a safe place to call home, with a family who sees them as they are: regular kids.

You may have the home and the safe environment that a teenager needs to thrive. Become a foster parent. Get in touch with LifeSpan Family Services today to learn more about what foster parenting may look like for you and your family.

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