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Transforming Lives: The Power of Fostering Teenagers January 17, 2025

Many people often consider fostering a teenager the most challenging aspect of foster parenting. Taking care of teenagers may seem intimidating, but it can also be very fulfilling. The urgent need for foster parents to help teenagers is significant—with surprising benefits.
More than 350,000 children in the U.S. are in foster care. Each day in Connecticut, the child care system serves 4,000+ children, with teenagers comprising over 35%.
The primary goal of foster care is to reunite children with their families. Nearly half of all children in foster care are successfully reunited with their parents or primary caregivers. Many find permanent homes with their foster families and around 25% are adopted. However, each year, more than 15,000 young adults age out of the foster care system without being adopted or reconnecting with their birth families.
The lack of stable support for teens aging out of foster care leads to substantial difficulties. The absence of a stable home and reliable support increases their likelihood of entering the criminal justice system, frequently because of limited support, insufficient job skills, or housing instability. Over 20% experience homelessness within their first year of independence. Before turning 20, 25% of young adults experience more health issues than their counterparts, including hospital stays due to illness, injury, substance use, or mental health conditions.
You can make a meaningful, positive contribution by choosing to foster a teenager. With the right guidance, foster families can help teens successfully transition into adulthood. To meet this urgent need, we must first challenge the misconceptions surrounding teenage foster care.
A common myth is that teenagers in foster care are difficult to connect with or more prone to causing trouble. Foster care teens, in fact, share many of the same challenges as their younger counterparts. Patience, acceptance, and love allow them to create meaningful, lasting relationships. The effort of fostering teens is worthwhile despite the challenges, much like fostering other age groups.
Proper training and a strong support system are vital to fostering success. The Waterford Country School’s Foster Care Program provides families with comprehensive training, ongoing support, and thoughtful placement matches to ensure positive outcomes for both children and foster families. Families never face the journey alone.
To learn more about becoming a foster family, contact the Waterford Country School’s Foster Care Program at 860-886-7500 or email lduzy@waterfordcs.org.