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Teens and Aging Out
1. Teens and Aging Out
Becoming an adult is supposed to be a momentous occasion, one met with excitement and
new opportunities. For the teenagers that age out of the foster care system, this is generally
not the case. In the past ten years, roughly 200,000 teenagers have aged out of the foster
care system and entered the adult world.
Aging out is the term used in America to define any foster child that turns eighteen and is
required to leave the foster system. Once they are eighteen, they are legally adults and thus
must be on their own. Despite the spikes in adoption from events such as National Adoption
Month, many are still not adopted and left without loving homes and families.
These teenagers do not have the same support most of us have been given at their age. The
majority of us had at least one parent or provider that helped ease the transition into
adulthood. When we made the transition from high school to college or work, many of us had
our parents or guardians to help us get on our feet. Aging out of the foster system puts the
teenagers into a world for which they are not ready – they have little to no money of their own,
no real guidance, and no support.
Teenagers that age out are more likely to run into problems than their counterparts, according
to studies. Roughly half drop out of high school, almost 20% struggle with homelessness, and
20 to 30% end up incarcerated – unfortunate and troubling statistics. Many also deal with
health care issues and unemployment. These bright and young minds are immediately
presented with hardships that affect the rest of their lives, all because of a lack of proper
support.
The two main ways to prevent these issues are adoption and support. Adopting a child or a
teenager gives them a consistent and stable home, as well as the help necessary to succeed
in the world as an adult. Support is the other way. By getting to know the teenagers and
lending aid, adults can help put them on the right track to get a job or go to school, giving
them the chance to have a healthy and stable life. With support, they can avoid the problems
and perils of the world. The right guidance can make all the difference.
Providence Place of San Antonio, Texas is a nonprofit organization offering domestic,
international, older child and embryo adoption services, vocational training for adults with
disabilities and working with other nonprofit organizations in the San Antonio area. To learn
more about the work they do or to schedule a tour of their 25-acre campus, visit their website
ProvPlace or contact them today.