REP. JACKSON LEE COMMENTS ON FOSTER YOUTH SHADOW DAY
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
May 31, 2012 -
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth released the following statement regarding today’s Foster Youth Shadow Day:
“With more than 424,000 children and older youth in the nation’s foster care system, the number of children who exit the foster care system without finding a permanent family has increased over the years by nearly 29,500. The experiences of youth transitioning out of the foster care system place them at a higher risk for unemployment, poor educational outcomes, health issues, early parenthood, long-term dependency on public assistance, increased rates of incarceration, and homelessness.
“I look forward to working with the Caucus to protect and promote the welfare of all children in foster care and those who have “aged out” of the system. This Caucus will provide a forum for Members to discuss the challenges facing all foster youth and develop policy recommendations for improving child welfare outcomes in five focus areas: Safety; Permanency; Well Being; Educational Opportunities; and Youth, Family, and Community Engagement.
“I look forward to examining reforming the child welfare system. The current system’s primary focus is on families already identified as child abuse and/or neglect cases. In other instances, removal is not the only answer and more should be done to help strengthen families. My ultimate goal is to reduce the number of children in care.”
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