[havens]

Help!

This is my first time here, and I'm desperately looking for information where I can't find any. I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but it seemed like a good place to start. I'm not actually in foster care myself, I'm the boyfriend. My girlfriend turns 18 in a few weeks, and can't seem to find the information she needs so I'm poking around the internet for her.

First let me give some background: she's been in foster care for about a year and a half now along with her younger brother and sister. We've been together for about six months more, and I was actually the one to help her realize they needed to go into foster care. Her parents are abusive mentally and physically, don't have jobs or their own home, and have heavy addictions to various drugs. Needless to say, things had to change and the three of them went into foster care.

They went to the only home that would take the three of them together. Their foster mom is divorced, highly strict, not affectionate, and my gf classes with her often. The foster mom does not like me, and doesn't trust me for some reason, and I haven't seen my gf since christmas. About three months ago, the younger brother ran off, and was quickly replaced by another foster sibling.

So my gf turns 18 in a few weeks, but is unable to leave foster care because she has another year of highschool left. She wants to leave and move in with her sister, but they won't let her. She has become more and more depressed lately, and to make matters worse I am no longer permitted to go see her on her birthday. I am three years older, but even though all her teachers and therapists have said I am a very positive influence in her life, her foster mom doesn't trust me and won't let me come see her. I'm starting to become suspicious that she is only in foster care for the money.

The problem is that she's turning 18, but they won't let her age out, and no one will give her or me any information. She doesn't have any idea what her options or rights are when she doesn't want to leave her sister, but is very unhappy. I am ofcourse helpless being of no relation. Its all so frustrating and we don't know who to turn to. I'm half tempted to go pick her up on her birthday and not look back.

We're in Ohio, and if anyone can offer any help, we'd be most appreciative. Thanks so much.