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CWLA Urges Congress to Provide Educational Supports for Youth Leaving Foster Care
For more information, contact
Joyce Johnson
Phone: 804/492-4519
Cell: 703/980-7641
E-mail: jjohnson@cwla.org
July 25, 2002, Washington, D.C. -- Congress can make a difference in the lives of 16,000 youth nationwide by supporting the President's budget request for $60 million for education and training opportunities for youth aging out of foster care.
Each year, 25,000 youth leave the nation's foster care system to face an uncertain future. Studies show that just 50% of these youth will have graduated high school, only 13% will go on to college or vocational training, 52% will be unemployed, and 25% will be homeless for one or more nights.
When they reach age 18, many of these youth will lose the support they received in foster care. Without the support of a family, these youth are left on their own to obtain further education and employment preparation, as well as health and mental health care and housing. Many are ill prepared for the responsibilities of adulthood and encounter obstacles that put their emotional, economical, and personal security at risk. They may become victims of violence or parents before they are ready.
The $60 million for education and training opportunities will help teens leaving foster care, or those who are adopted after age 16, transition into self sufficient, productive adults by giving them the supports they need to realize their dreams.
Established in 1920, the Child Welfare League of America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization. Headquartered in Washington, DC, CWLA strives to advance sound public policy on behalf of the more than three million abused, neglected, and vulnerable children served by its more than 1,175 public and private member agencies. To further its mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting the well-being of all children and families, CWLA conducts research, develops standards of best practice, hosts regional and national conferences, provides comprehensive, field-based consultation and professional development services, and is the largest publisher of child welfare materials in North America.
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