the reality of Growing out of foster care
childhood in foster care
Some kids spend their entire
Foster care is intended to be temporary, to keep children safe and provide them with all necessities until a permanent living solution can be found. In practice, however, while many children spend just a few days in foster care, others remain for years in the foster care system. For these children, the role of the state is more that of a parent than a temporary guardian.
fending for themselves
LACK OF PREPaRATION
They are called “emancipated”—they are adults, and free from the foster care system—but this freedom often comes without the most basic necessities required to survive.
lack of support system
Foster parents are not obligated to house, feed, or guide their foster children beyond this age, and group homes are no longer able to provide them with a place to live.
no place to call home
Nationally, approximately 20,000 youth emancipate from foster care each year. In California, 4,653 youth emancipated in 2019. When children in foster care turn 18, they are, for the most part, on their own.
emancipation: A direct route to the street
who age out of the system
The future of foster children
For some youth leaving foster care, homelessness comes the day they emancipate from the foster care system; others move from
a foster home into a temporary housing situation only to find themselves without shelter shortly thereafter. Some are without a steady roof over their heads for days that turn into weeks or even years. With no job, no income, few educational prospects, and little emotional support or community connections, for most youth emancipation means nowhere to turn and no place to go.
answering the call of emancipated youth
to helping our kids succeed
Guardians of Love is committed
The foster care system is failing in an essential duty to children in its care: to prepare them for adulthood and to survive independently. Just as the state has a duty to provide appropriate shelter, food, and health care to children in care, it has a duty to address the crucial developmental needs of childhood and adolescence. Young people need to learn skills for adulthood and they need solid plans for income, housing, and support before they are on their own.
Guardians of Love is committed to bridging this gap in a new and collaborative way. Our LifeU program is a creative solution designed to equip nearly emancipation-aged children with the knowledge and tools necessary to not only survive but to thrive in todays modern world. Our program is comprised of an assortment of helpful tips, practical advice and definitive information that aims to help children establish independence as they venture out on a path to self-sufficiency.
life university topics include:
• Survival Skills: Shopping, meal prep & cooking
• Health & Hygiene
• The Importance of Self Care
• The Importance of Mental Health
• Character Building Activities
• Social Skills Building
• The Importance of Time Management
• Personal Finance: Budgeting, Saving & Tax Tips
• Job Skills: How to Write a Resume & Interview
• Auto Maintenance
• And much much more!