WMPC CEO, Sonia Noorman, MS, LMSW, was recently invited on TeamPeds Talks* eight part series, “Children in Foster Care” to talk about aging out in foster care.
In order to ‘age out’ children must reach an age where foster care services are no longer provided by the state. This group does not achieve permanency, for example, through reunification or adoption.
The children who age out experience unique challenges that result in several issues. Of the approximately 23,000 children who age out of foster care every year:
- 20% will become homeless
- only 50% will have some gainful employment by the age of 24
- about 70% of females will be pregnant by age 21 (thus continuing the cycle)
Foster care agencies and healthcare providers should be working to provide support for these children to transition out of foster care. Starting early, before children age out, may help to address these issues before they arise. to target interventions to prevent homelessness and unemployment. Providers should gather resources within the community for developing life skills, preventing homelessness and unemployment, providing therapy, supporting college prep, and other tools.
On the podcast, Sonia and other guests discuss specific resources and tools to help prepare foster children who are aging out.
*TeamPeds Talks is a podcast series from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and features NAPNAP experts and stakeholders addressing key issues in pediatric health. The conversations are available wherever you listen to podcasts, search TeamPeds Talks on your app, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.
