Foster care children are also the future of our country

OPINION:

The past few weeks have been a grim reminder of how innocent people too often suffer under the fits of oppression. I am not speaking of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — though that, too, is a deplorable example — but of America’s foster care system. 

Two court cases in New York and Texas suffice to explain the current situation: In the first, a couple exploited a background check loophole in the city’s foster care system to prostitute eight girls. In Texas, a staff member at a foster care facility for young women who have been sexually trafficked has been accused of retrafficking seven girls placed under her care.

Living in California I am all too aware of the challenges children placed in the foster care system face. There are approximately 60,000 children in our state’s system — one-third of the whole nation’s foster children. These children have faced many levels of trauma, including abandonment, neglect, abuse and poverty. Sadly, this does not set them up for success: About 20% end up homeless within two years of aging out of foster care.

Anna’s story is an example of this destructive pattern. She was removed from her neglectful and abusive household when she was only 9 months old. Like many children in her situation, she was in and out of the foster care system ever since. Along the way, Anna experienced sexual abuse, physical assault, sex trafficking and teen pregnancy. Thankfully, her adoptive parents located her and referred her to the Dream Center. 

At the Dream Center, we have a transitional housing program dedicated to these young individuals who have aged out of the foster care system. The program supports young adults by providing the resources for educational learning and job training, along with a supportive community and mentorship. Our foster youth residents are able to access a multitude of benefits and resources — job and education counseling, life skills training, GED completion, community college credits — all in addition to free housing, meals, clothing, and even medical and dental insurance. 

We have seen some of the most talented, creative and resilient people come out of this program and go on to do incredible things with their lives. 

It has been four months since Anna joined our foster youth residential program, and her time with us has made a tremendous difference. Since her arrival, she has worked on developing her relationship with God, which has helped her to make better decisions when she is feeling down. Anna also shares that stable housing, a healthy community and positive mentors, which have been placed around her, have helped her overcome many of her former obstacles in life. Moving forward, Anna’s plans for the future include completing her GED, acquiring lasting employment and reuniting with her child.

The sad truth is that society often gives up on young men and women like Anna. They are often seen as burdens, and their past obfuscates the potential that lies within them. But how can we expect these young children to have a healthy transition into adulthood when they don’t have the tools to help them thrive independently?

Thankfully, conversations are taking place about the shortcomings of our current system. Some states and localities are revisiting policies to better protect foster children and prepare them for adulthood. New York City, for example, recently announced it will stop collecting children’s Social Security checks to pay for their care, a practice that is common throughout the country. The city will instead place the money in savings accounts and allow children to access it once they age out of the system.

We often say children are the future of our country, but we should ask ourselves if we mean it when it comes to those who through circumstances beyond their control are thrust into foster care. They also are part of our future.

• Matthew Barnett is the co-founder of the Los Angeles Dream Center and senior pastor of Angelus Temple. The Los Angeles Dream Center is a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals and families in Los Angeles through residential and outreach programs.