[millie58]

To those posters whose kids are going back to bio family: they want to experience it but it's not the Garden of Eden they think it'll be. I had a 14 yo fs a few years ago. He had an older and younger sister. After me, all 3 went to RTC's-different ones. Bio mom got housing and got them back. My former fs is now in jail; I'm going to beat is butt!! His older sister, who had a scholarship, got pregnant by a guy who left the baby at a train station; she left him, went back and is pregnant again. It's tough. I wish foster families would teach these kids how to do basic things so they can survive. Not for nothing, I was with my bio family and learned how to balance a checkbook in school. Both my parents were terrible with money.

[katelynsmom06]

Originally Posted by mprphotos

If you could I would like you to check out my thread as I have just posted a topic in relation to that. I am looking for writers who want to make a change for the foster care system and for those who leave it. I left at 18 almost became homeless and I've been to jail twice. There is a lack of support after a child ages out. I am trying to form a book with stories about this particular subject. If you have anything you'd like to share please let me know. Sincerest Regards, Mark

i would love to add to your book. i was in fostercare for 11 yrs and graduated high school,went to independent living and then they threw me out at 19 with only $1300. i have a mental disability and can't work i have 2 kids in dhr because of me being in abusive relationships, i am homeless, and it has been 7 yrs since i left. i never learned how to cook until after i got out,i still have not learned how to drive very well. but can drive if it's an emergency. i have not been offered very little help after dhr threw me out. i have had to try and make it on my own with no support from my biological or foster families. i moved from home to home for 11 yrs. i was in 64 fosterhomes,15 group homes and about 5 lock down facilities. i had no stability in my life and still don't at 26. i have not stayed in one place for more than a year since leaving dhr. the counseling in care is very crapping they are not equipped to deal with all the different situations that a child is in. in care i was physically abused in several different homes. even though my mother was on drugs,very abusive in many different ways and homeless they would not terminate her rights and let me be adopted my grand parent as well as my aunt tried to adopt me and they refused because for every kid they have in custody they get a grant check for as well as other benefits that the foster kids never really see for every kid in their care the older you are the more they get. i think if i was giving the opportunity to at least if not be adopted but put in one fosterhome with a nice loving family i might be a different person. i have been through mortified hell in my life time. i'm sry i got carried away. if you would like to know more you can email me at christym2b@yahoo.com

[benandkatieh]

i so appreciate these posts. we are considering adopting an older child (17). "aging out" of the system is such a scary thing to think about, especially knowing there is little liklihood kids that age will be adopted before they are too old