What happens to foster youth who turn 18 and age out of foster care? The answer varies depending on the situation, but support from caring adults can significantly improve outcomes for this vulnerable population. Many teens who age out of foster care face trauma, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, and homelessness. The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) reports that over a quarter of a million teens aged out of the system last year. Unfortunately, many of these teens lack the social support that most of their peers take for granted. As a result, they often fail to thrive.

• Children aging out of the foster care system have an increased risk of homelessness, according to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. [source]

• One in three homeless teens are lured into sex trafficking within 48 hours of leaving home. [source]

• By the age of 19, 47% of Texas foster youth haven't finished high school or earned a GED. By 21, 27% still haven't finished. [source]

• By the age of 21, 30% of foster youth have criminal justice involvement, and 25% experience incarceration. [source]

• The National Foster Youth Institute reported that 7 out of 10 girls who age out of foster care become pregnant by 21 years old. [source]

• One in every two kids who age out of the system will develop substance dependence. [source]

How can you help teens before they age out of foster care?

The teen years are when identity is formed and it's important to feel connected to one's community to develop a sense of belonging. There are programs to help these teens find jobs, homes, and education after leaving foster care, but the most impactful way to help is to mentor them throughout their teen years. Continuous guidance from a knowledgeable, caring adult can help teens create a transition plan, so they are ready to leave when the time comes.

Unfortunately, there is a critical need for families who agree to foster teens. As a result, many of these teens sleep in hotels or CPS offices. They are known as "children without placement." Many people believe that you must agree to adopt a youth if you become a foster parent. In fact, you can become a licensed foster parent even if you are not adoption-motivated. Foster care is meant to be a temporary arrangement to allow biological caregivers to improve the conditions that led to the removal of their children so they can return to a safe home. Hope Cottage can help you become a licensed foster parent. Foster families interested in caring for a teen will be licensed for children ages 10-17 and receive specialized training to parent older children and teens. 

Matched adoption is another way to help teens in foster care. Matched adoption ensures teens in foster care don't age out of foster care without access to a stable support system as they transition into adulthood. To be eligible for matched adoption, the birth parent's rights must be terminated in a court of law. You may have seen some of these teens on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange website or Wednesdays Child. Hope Cottage can help you obtain a license to adopt teens.

Adopting a teen from foster care is much more affordable than a private infant adoption. When you agree to adopt a teen from Texas foster care, you can negotiate for adoption subsidies. The youth can continue to receive Medicaid to cover medical expenses. They can also receive a monthly subsidy to help with food, clothing, and other miscellaneous costs. You can even negotiate to have the state cover non-reoccurring adoption expenses such as attorney fees and court costs.

Another advantage to adopting a child is the Federal Adoption Tax Credit. The maximum adoption credit taxpayers can claim on their 2021 tax return is $14,440 per eligible child. An eligible child must be younger than 18. If the adopted person is older, they must be unable to physically care for themselves. This credit is non-refundable. This means the amount of the credit is limited to the taxpayer's taxes due for 2021. Any credit leftover from their owed 2021 taxes can be carried forward for up to five years.

Higher education has become a crucial step toward higher-paying jobs. For this reason, tuition and fees are waived at state-supported colleges or universities for foster youth currently or formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and for those adopted from DFPS. Yet, even with this support from the state, only 2% of Texas's former foster youth earn a college degree.

Whether by birth or by choice, our families are the foundations upon which our lives are built. Research shows that strong connections with others are directly connected to our mental, physical, and economic well-being. Foster and adoptive parents nurture the relationships necessary to grow loving families and, by extension, thriving communities.

If you are interested in supporting a teen in foster care, please contact Clyde Hemminger, CHemminger@HopeCotage.org.