Creating a Supportive and Meaningful Transition to Independent Living
In considering the obstacles facing young people who are transitioning from foster care, one of the key issues is TIME - time to meet their goals, time to make permanent connections, time to develop new skills to live independently and build a strong support system for themselves. While young people can stay in the system until the age of 21, for a variety of reasons, in practice, most exit much earlier. Young people emancipating from foster care experience disproportionate rates of homelessness, unemployment, unplanned pregnancies, incarceration, human trafficking, and reliance on public assistance. Many are not completing high school or GED programs, and only 2% are pursuing post-secondary education. They need adequate support systems and permanent connections to change these negative outcomes – all of which takes time.
In a bipartisan way, states across the country have sought to tackle these issues by initiating “foster care re-entry” legislation. This legislation would allow young people the opportunity to leave the system and test out their independence (much like their peers from intact families), while providing an option to re-enter “foster care” up until the age of 21 in order to gain the skills, supports, and resources necessary to build a successful, independent life.
This Children’s Caucus presentation focused on the need for change in the current system, the benefits to foster youth of foster care re-entry legislation, and possible next steps for Colorado. Betsy Fordyce from the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center and Linda Weinerman from Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative both presented on the benefits of the option for Foster Care Re-Entry, see both their presentations below. The final speaker of yesterday's Children's Caucus presentation was emancipated foster-youth, Will Lesley-Patton. Will provided articulate and valuable insight to the struggles a youth emancipating from the system faces.
Thank you to the legislators and community members who attended the Caucus and took time to learn more about this pressing issue. For more information on Foster Care Re-Entry, please contact Betsy Fordyce of the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center:
Betsy Fordyce
Director of Advocacy Initiatives - the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center
[email protected]
303-692-1165
To see more photos of yesterday's Caucus, please visit our Photos page!
In a bipartisan way, states across the country have sought to tackle these issues by initiating “foster care re-entry” legislation. This legislation would allow young people the opportunity to leave the system and test out their independence (much like their peers from intact families), while providing an option to re-enter “foster care” up until the age of 21 in order to gain the skills, supports, and resources necessary to build a successful, independent life.
This Children’s Caucus presentation focused on the need for change in the current system, the benefits to foster youth of foster care re-entry legislation, and possible next steps for Colorado. Betsy Fordyce from the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center and Linda Weinerman from Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative both presented on the benefits of the option for Foster Care Re-Entry, see both their presentations below. The final speaker of yesterday's Children's Caucus presentation was emancipated foster-youth, Will Lesley-Patton. Will provided articulate and valuable insight to the struggles a youth emancipating from the system faces.
Thank you to the legislators and community members who attended the Caucus and took time to learn more about this pressing issue. For more information on Foster Care Re-Entry, please contact Betsy Fordyce of the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center:
Betsy Fordyce
Director of Advocacy Initiatives - the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center
[email protected]
303-692-1165
To see more photos of yesterday's Caucus, please visit our Photos page!
2-9-15 Agenda |
Foster Care Re-Entry |
A View From the Field |