At 18 years old, Jaylen has already faced a steep climb in life compared to her peers. Without support, many young people find the path to adulthood incredibly difficult. But rather than letting obstacles overload her, Jaylen is using her experiences to build a better future and inspire others.
Life challenges might cause a bump in the road for most families. But for others, trials can result in major upheavals in their lives. Jeremy and his grandmother, Patricia, faced the latter when they were involved in a life-changing situation — one that led to their living apart from one another.
After his mom died when he was 14 years old, Isaiah and his brother entered the care of their grandmother. Sadly, their grandmother died soon after, leading them to be placed in the foster care system.
Five young adults who aged out of foster care at 18 years old vulnerably shared their experience transitioning to adulthood after spending most of their childhood in state custody.
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.
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.