Essentially, “aging out” is the process that occurs when youth must leave the foster care system because they were never adopted and are too old to stay in care. In New York, youth can sign themselves “out” of foster care at age 18, however, they can choose to reenter the system again until they are 21. At age 21, all New York State youth in foster care, do “age out” of the system.

Without the love and support of a family to fall back on, many teens who aged out of foster care find themselves struggling to succeed on their own. It’s not easy for the youth who do age out without support. The statistics are devastating. By age 26, only three to four percent of youth who aged out of foster care earn a college degree. One in five of these youth will become homeless after turning 18. Only half will obtain employment by 24. Over 70 percent of female foster youth will become pregnant by 21, and one in four former foster youth will experience PTSD.

The number of youth who age out of foster care has risen steadily over the past decade, even in the wake of increased efforts to achieve permanence for all children in foster care. For far too many youth, aging out of care results in homelessness, work instability, and a lack of stable, loving relationships with adults.

Also see resources for Permanency for Older Youth

Below are some resources on practice and policy issues that support effective permanency planning and decision making with adolescents in foster care.

• Additional Older Adolescent Permanency and APPLA resources, studies and policy recommendations can be found here.
• Life Skills and Independent Living Services resources and links from the New York State Office of Mental Health can be found here.

More Information and Resources: