The Lives of Young Adults Who Age Out of the Foster Care System in Jennifer Rrooks' Aging Out of Foster Care

Aging Out of Foster Care

This short documentary, Aging Out of Foster Care, presented by Jennifer Rrooks, focuses on young adults who age out of the foster care system, specifically in Maine. Rrooks poses a few questions like: “How are they faring?”,”What needs to happen to give them a fighting chance in life?”, and “What does new research about the brain teach us about them?”. One of the most shocking statistics in this video was that between 2002 and 2010, more than a quarter million young people transitioned out of foster care without any permanent family connection. That’s nearly 30,000 young people a year! Many of these youth face daunting odds. Some will become homeless, abuse drugs and alcohol, become pregnant, or spend time in jail. But this video claims that some young people actually do well after aging out. This is because they had one meaningful connection to support them. Whether it’s an adoptive family, a mentor, or an effective social worker, they can make a huge difference in the lives of the young people transitioning out of the foster system.

This documentary follows the story of some young people who are currently in, or who have aged out of the foster system. The first, Tyler Brown, is a recent high school graduate who was taken in by his foster parents as he aged out of the system. His mother says that “…once you show these kids some stability, love, and boundaries, then they can fall right into place”. Tyler did not allow his past to define his future, because with the constant support of his adoptive family when he aged out, he was able to see more clearly into his life.

But, if only every young person’s story was similar to Tyler’s. Unfortunately, hundreds of young teens in this situation are struggling. This video shares how one girl grows up living in one group home to another. When the time came for her to age out, she was able to connect with a mentor who aided her throughout that tough season of her life. The founder of the mentor system stresses the importance of having that one meaningful connection because that is often all that it takes. It is crucial for every child and young adult to grow up having at least one person who loves them unconditionally and who will always be there for them, regardless of the choices they make. When teens transition out of the system, they are at the age where they need a support system to give them advice. They need just one person to guide them in the right direction. Without that, they are forced into survival mode.

While the system has changed since the making of this documentary, it is crucial for the young people who age out to know that there are people and systems in place to support them, they just need to be willing to accept the help.

Cite this page