NEW YORK
What happens when foster care children "age out?"
The number of foster care children who reach adulthood before finding a permanent home is on the rise. That's according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts organization. The study also finds many of those who "age out" of the system don't go to college, become homeless or do time in jail. But as our Allison Lazarz tells us, it's a different story in Onondaga County.
Katie Rushlo said she thinks her foster care experience has been better than a lot of kids who enter the system. At 20 years old, she's only one year away from, "aging out of the system," meaning no longer eligible for government assistance. "It's important that a youth in care has somebody close to them because if not, then they could end up homeless and not caring because nobody cares about them then why should they care about them?" said Rushlo.
Jean Galle at Hillside works to make that connection between a family and a foster care child. She said there's one common thread among many children who leave the foster care system. "It's those youth who are not connected to a permanent adult resource that do struggle later on in life," said Galle, the Foster Care Manager at Hillside.
According to a study done by the Pew Charitable Trusts organization, a large percentage of children who age out of foster care do not attend college. The study also said many children who age out will become homeless or spend time in jail.
In Onondaga County, nine children aged out of the foster care system last year, but more than half of them went on to college or find a successful job. And our local experts said that's likely because they were able to make a personal connection with an adult.
"We think it's really important, probably the most important thing for our youth to have an adult in their life, somebody they can count on and go back to," said Christine Kratz, and administrative supervisor for the Onondaga County Social Services Department's children's division.
And Rushlo couldn't agree more. "It's very important to have adults in your life, to help you with the things that you need to know about moving out and buying an apartment or a house," said Rushlo.
Rushlo, with the help of those adult influences, is now a second year student at SUNY Cobleskill.
Allison Lazarz
21 January 2010
