Foster Youth Stats

SteppingForwardLA.org

According to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), as many as 60% of foster youth aging out of the foster care system do not know where they will go the night the age out and many do not have even one supportive adult in their lives to help guide them.

Here are some outcomes for former foster youth who don't receive any additional support as they are aging out of the foster care system:

Education

Less than 50% graduate from high school. Only 10% will go on to college and only about 3% will graduate. Less than 1% will receive a Master's Degree.

Housing

Roughly 60% of foster youth do not know where they will sleep that night after aging out of the foster care system.

Employment

Young adults leave care without knowing what they'd like to do and not having any employment experience. Most of them will age out of group homes without having the opportunity to see family members go off to work outside of the house. Only 50% will become employed by age 24.

Pregnancy

It is estimated that anywhere from 60-70% of young women will get pregnant by the time they are 21. They have no one discussing their reproductive rights with them, helping them to make proper decisions and they see the people in their social circle having babies.

Incarceration

Reports indicate that as many as half of all foster youth aging out of the system will spend at least one night in jail within two years of aging out of the system.