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Foster Care Transition

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Youth in the foster care system repeatedly undergo multiple transitions before they reach adulthood. These transitions often create substantial amounts of stress and can intensify emotional and behavioral problems. With more than 29,000 young people exiting the foster care system each year, research has shown that these young people are frequently unprepared for their lives after foster care through findings of high rate homelessness, incarceration, unemployment and school failure (Greenen & Powers, 2007; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Furthermore, research also shows that less than 55% of youth who had exited foster care obtained jobs in the future that paid above the poverty line. Unfortunately, the young people aging …show more content…
Alternative means of leaving foster care are running away, entering a psychiatric hospital, incarceration or death. It has been proven that those who spend longer periods of time in the foster care system are more likely to be emancipated rather than undergo an unsuccessful discharge (Courtney & Barth, 1996). A study in Northern California found that majority of youth in the foster care system (90.4%) stated they wanted to leave due to dissatisfaction of the system and services provided, a desire to return home, and other unidentified reasons. With that said, these results suggest that early service intervention in the systems youth would better prepare them for the transition from dependence to independence or an Independent Living Programs (McCoy, McMillen & Spitznagel, …show more content…
It can be hard for a teen to acquire all of their personal documents, such as the original copy of social security cards, birth certificate and citizenship documents. It is important that youth have access to these documents prior to exiting the system because oftentimes it becomes hard to obtain after leaving. Advocacy can also come in the form empowerment. One’s adolescent years are trying enough without having to figure out where to go after being discharged from the system. Therefore, social workers can recognize the unique strengths and abilities youth have and empower them to set goals and promote their life skills in making decisions (Torrico,

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