Immigrant Foster Children struggle for citizenship
PRODUCED BY MALLIKA ARYAL IMMIGRANT FOSTER CHILDREN STRUGGLE FOR CITIZENSHIP Special Immigration Juvenile Status (SIJS) allows immigrant children in foster care to apply for permanent residency but the system needs to be made more efficient so that no child is left behind. Related Story: Making undocumented US foster kids legal Fekri Kram was born in […]
Embracing Sexual Identity
PRODUCED BY JOSHUA FRANK AND SHEA CONNELLY EMBRACING SEXUAL IDENTITY TOUGH, BUT DIFFERENT IN FOSTER CARE Coming out can be hard for some, harder still without parents, without family, and without support. Fitting in with other kids in an urban foster care systems can be beyond intimidating. But for a lucky few, there are places […]
Foster teens try to avoid trouble
PRODUCED BY CLIFTON LEE FOSTER TEENS TRY TO AVOID TROUBLE The odds are already against a child in the foster care system. They get even worse as they enter teenage years. Once they age out, there’s no structure or family to fall back on. Avoiding trouble can be troublesome for these young adults. Related Story: […]
Emancipated to Nothingness
PRODUCED BY LAURIE GUTHMANN EMANCIPATED TO NOTHINGNESS The foster kids who don’t end up with a foster parent may end up homeless. Though there are structures and programs in place to prepare teenage foster kids for adulthood, homelessness and poverty are just a reality for those preparing to “age out” of the system. Related Story: […]
Foster teens face permanency barriers
PRODUCED BY BRIDGET LEAHY FOSTER TEENS FACE PERMANENCY BARRIERS Most foster care parents aren’t looking for teenagers. Most want babies, or young children. Where does this leave our young adults? Many foster teens face the struggle of finding permanency. For some, relying on themselves is the only source of permanency. Others are luckier. Related Story: […]