Dr. Phil

Aging Out of Foster Care (21x154)

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More than 23,0000 children age out of the U.S. foster care system every year. Studies indicate that foster care children report lower scores for happiness, higher for depression, lower self-esteem, lower scores on marital happiness, and higher incidence of social isolation than adults who were never in foster care. Hear the challenges two women say they faced in the foster care system and aging out of it. Lisa claims she had a rough childhood separated from her siblings, enduring abuse, becoming homeless, starting college only to drop out, and then finally turning her life around after joining the army. She says she lost touch and hasn’t seen some of her siblings -- but today, she gets the surprise of a lifetime! Ne’a says she also struggled in foster care. Since aging out, she says she has discovered the extended foster care program and is fighting to make a good future for herself. Both say the foster care system is broken, and changes need to be made. CEO of CASA, Charity Chandler-C