LETTER FROM LYN
Anyone that has raised children knows how critical are the decisions that young people make as they approach the late teens. Even young people from an average family with loving parents, can hit rough waters as they reach that stage of life. These decisions, good or bad, impact the rest of their lives: decisions about personal relationships, careers, moral values.
Young people who’ve been in the foster care system are especially vulnerable. Most carry emotional and physical scars, the by-products of being born into families that are dysfunctional at best, destructive at worst. These young people need even more love, patience and guidance than children that have grown up with loving structure and support.
In the past, older youth ageing out of the Human Services foster care system were released from care at 18, ready or not. Mostly not. This was the norm across the country. Youth suddenly on their own wound up back in unhealthy family situations, on the streets, in homeless shelters, and in incarceration. Now young people can choose to stay in foster care to age 21.
Vera Lloyd recently opened a transitions home on our campus for older males who are willing to stay in care and benefit from independent living instruction under the direction of a transitions coordinator. The three-phase program is designed to help boys on the brink of independence make decisions about their future, set goals and work toward achievement. We are pleased to finally be able to offer this much-needed program and look forward to expanding the program to include girls.
Lyn
