What happens to foster kids when they turn 18?

my parents ran a group foster home for 20 years and when the children turned 18 they are considered adult. if my parents still wanted to help them out...and they did...and if the young adults needed the help..no could say other wise. at 18 they are out of the system.

I totally disagree with "Comprehensive2" ( doesn´t sound too much like the username).
Just because you are not legally obligated doesn´t mean you don´t have moral obligations with the children you raise.
The law can not tell you what to do in that regard or how to feel.
Just like with your own children if you feel you want to be part of their lives after they turn 18, do so. Be a guide, a mentor , a friend. Kicking them out just because they are 18 is not an option that must be mandated by law. If you love them, keep them in your life.

ummm... I was a foster kid. we are no different that a regular kid. However, we don't get the privilege of some things such as someone trying pay for our college, or support from family.

I think it would be awesome to open a center for foster kids
so they can continue their education. let's face it some don't make out of the system and they just end up in jail or prison.

we need an advocate and someone with a backbone
to guide us through life .

I agree with LiamOyer. NO one at 18 is ready to move out. Its a really sad story for foster kids. But I'm pretty sure that kids in the system get their college tuition paid for and even extra money. This girl I knew did and even got a free laptop. But even that's not enough for some kids. Some don't have the love and support to strive for more and end up getting into trouble. Its not fair to boot kids out at 18. Come on, I know more successful kids who still live with their parents at the age of 25. I think the government should support the foster kids for a few extra years because before high school, no one is contemplating what they are going to do with their lives. Its really hard out there and even harder now a days.

Foster kids are no different than other kids who turn 18. GET OUT!! You're a legal adult and it's not like turning 18 snuck up on anybody. They would have had years to make plans for their future and if they didn't then that's on them. And I mean all children turning 18.

Comp, years to make plans... who plans out what they're going to do when they are 18. how many 18 year old's do you know who can make plans about the rest of their life, most are stuck in a world where they need to deal with only school...

most are still debating on whether or not to go to college
what the hell have some compassion man.

A story was done on this before. Yes, they are legally on thier own at 18. I personally if I were a foster parent would always be their family.

How could anyone not be? I guess many foster parents are in it for the money. I have heard many horror stories about foster care. I have always wondered if the system would take a short, fat, old white guy as a foster parent.

The sad thing is that foster care is not what it should be in the United States (or most anywhere) it is often ripe with corruption and greed (not all mind you just often). They get sizable funding from the state and all to often do not actually CARE for whom they are giving the living space to. I read yesterday about a young man turning 18 in a few days. He is Autistic and is an illegal immigrant. so when his "child" status becomes non existent he will be removed from the system and put on the streets. he has the social, life, and communication skills of a preschooler. his options will be deportation, being institutionalized or starve in the streets.

Ive also taken in post foster children now as young adults and the severity of their situations are down right terrible. Like the last one I took in, She was a 20 year old that had been in a couple different homes before 18 and at 18 her present was one last night with a roof over her head. she has been "couch surfing" since. She has epilepsy so has severe troubles getting work. She has her high school diploma but had to have me read and spell words for her consistently. And it seems to be an all to common story line. Ive had 3 of such young adults through here in the last 6 months. 2 of the 3 were females and they both said that it was the first time they felt safe and didn't have to give up sex in order to stay somewhere.

It is in my strong opinion with the knowledge I have of the system that Child Protective Services and foster care both need severely reworked in the before, during, and after stages.

The picture remains grim, generally. I direct a foster care clearinghouse for youth with disabilities, and for this group which is about 50 percent of foster kids, only 3 percent make it college, though 70 percent want to go, very few graduate, many are homeless or in prison shortly after emancipating...but there are also some positive things in the works--federal legislation to extend time in care if youth are in training or school, more help to kin caregivers, etc. You can learn more at www.dredf.org and go to Clearinghouse.