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A New Program Developed by National CASA,
Helps Older Foster Youth
Transition From Foster Care to Successful, Independent Adults
To help address the unique challenges faced by older foster youth, the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association has
developed a new program for its national network of nearly 70,000 volunteer child advocates, titled Fostering Futures. The Walmart Foundation has recognized the value of Fostering Futures with a $1.6 million grant to develop and launch the program in 2009. Funding from the Walmart Foundation allows National CASA to support local CASA and GAL program efforts to recruit, train and retain volunteers to work with older youth.
Each year, an estimated 25,000 young people between the ages of 18 to 21 are legally required to emancipate – or age out – of the foster care system. Aging out of foster care without a life plan or preparation puts these vulnerable youths at great risk. These risks include homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse, criminal involvement and mental health issues.
Youth older than age 13 are far less likely to be adopted and more likely to age out of the foster care system with little or no adult support. Fostering Futures will engage CASA and Guardian ad Litem (GAL) volunteers as advocates for and advisors to foster youth ages 13 – 21, with the goal of helping them develop specific transition plans, identify supportive adult connections, and achieve positive outcomes once they transition out of foster care.
Why Fostering Futures?
According to Casey Family Programs, about 25,000 young people between the ages of 18-21 must leave foster care each year. These young people have experienced maltreatment and lived with instability, so it will probably come as no surprise that they are often ill-prepared to suddenly live independently and figure out on their own how to do what the foster care system was set up to do for them – feed, clothe and house them. Aging out of foster care without a permanent home is the highest-risk outcome for a foster youth. Recall some of these statistics about older and aging out youth from the e-learning: Approximately 25% of former foster youth nationwide reported that they had been homeless within 2-4 years of exiting foster care. (National Alliance to End Homelessness) Foster youth approach the transition to adulthood with significant educational deficits
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They are 14x more likely NOT to complete college than the general population (Chapin Hall Midwest Study)
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They are more than twice as likely not to have a high school diploma or GED as their peers (Chapin Hall Midwest Study)
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About 25% of foster care alumni experience post traumatic stress (general population 4%) (Northwest Foster Care Alumni Survey)
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The unemployment rate among foster care alumni was 47% (Chapin Hall Midwest Study)
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Youth in care receive healthcare through Medicaid and are at risk of losing this coverage once they age out of care, only ½ of young adults after care have medical insurance (Chapin Hall Midwest Study)
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Thirty percent of youth participating in the Midwest Study reported being arrested, 15% reported being convicted of a crime, and 29% reported being incarcerated (Chapin Hall Midwest Study at Age 21)
Based on CASA/GAL volunteers’ more than 30 years of experience working with the highest risk cases of maltreatment, and applying recent research findings on the concept of possible selves, we believe we have the opportunity to affect these statistics through the Fostering Futures volunteer training program.
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