According to a March 24 article by Rebecca Martinez of newsleader.com, adoption advocates in Virginia are working to change the state's foster care system to provide additional services for youth who "age out" of the system without adequate support:

In 2007, 62 percent of foster children left the system to live permanently with either a relative or adopted family.

A study by the Pew Research Center that year found older youths who age out or are emancipated from the system spend nearly five years without a permanent home. Twenty five percent will be incarcerated within two years and 20 percent will become homeless.

"The impact, just simply from not having a family is just tremendous," said Ray Ratke, Virginias Special Advisor for Children's Services, who oversees state agencies' compliance with Childrens Services System Transformation, a subsequent initiative to improve care in 13 localities. "Let's develop a plan to keep that family together."

Labels: foster care, laws

Posted By: Aspen/CRC