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Each year, 30,000 of the nation’s foster youth “age out” of the foster care system and are expected to become independent, self-sufficient and tax-paying members of society with little or no assistance from others. Not surprisingly, they struggle to obtain employment and housing, attain their educational goals, and maintain their physical and mental health. At the heart of most of these challenges lies their inability to attain financial stability. While recent federal legislation, such as the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, has shown a great commitment to improving the lives of older foster youth, there is still more to do.
On March 16, 2011, the Children's Advocacy Institute (CAI) and First Star held a joint Congressional Briefing and Press Cconference to unveil their new report, The Fleecing of Foster Children: How We Confiscate Their Assets and Undermine Their Financial Security, in which they identify and discuss federal and state policies and practices that actually impede the ability of youth to achieve financial stability after leaving foster care — and which must be addressed in order to give our foster youth a meaningful opportunity at achieving self-sufficiency. The report discusses the troubling practice of many states intercepting foster children's Social Security benefits to reimburse themselves for the cost of foster care, the common but shocking issue of ID theft and credit fraud committed against foster youth, and legislative solutions which may address these problems. The event also featured foster care alumni who shared their experiences dealing with these issues and discussed what they would like to see changed.
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