As the school year enters its mid-point, many children begin to feel the weight of academic demands, social pressures and extracurricular commitments. Mid-year stress differs from the typical beginning-of-year excitement or end-of-year exhaustion.

The Youth Villages Intercept Program here in Greenville impacts at-risk youth in our community and across the state. The idea of “Intercept” is to reach kids who are at risk of being placed outside of the home, coming home from a foster care placement or mental health hospital and keeping them with their families in a healthy, successful living space.

Like many who have experienced the child welfare system, Ethan’s path was filled with uncertainty and obstacles. His journey began in his high school.

Naomi’s story with Youth Villages started with the LifeSet program, but her journey to get there was anything but easy. She entered foster care at 4 years old and was adopted at 9.

When mentoring is mentioned, thoughts quickly go to being a friend or a buddy for a child or youth. Mentoring also conjures up images of playing board games, throwing a football or softball, going out to eat or doing arts and crafts.

For Makia, the path from foster care to adulthood was filled with roadblocks. At 12 years old, Makia entered the child welfare system and moved between different foster homes, never quite finding stability and guidance.

Thousands of children experience out-of-home placements in North Carolina, and sometimes, finding a forever home isn’t an option before they age out of the system. Programs like LifeSet help young adults who experience foster care establish independence.

The teen years are filled with growth, change, and emotional ups and downs. One of the most challenging aspects of adolescence is navigating friendships. As a caregiver, you may notice that your teen’s “best friend” suddenly disappears from conversation.

In the United States, 2.5 million children are currently in kinship care, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This represents 3% of all children. In kinship care, relatives such as grandparents, siblings or extended family, raise children.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Every year, nearly 20,000 young people age out of the foster care system across the country—more than 800 of them right here in Tennessee. Without a strong support system, many face overwhelming challenges, including homelessness, substance abuse, and incarceration.