Our Children

Recent research on foster children confirms that the majority of these children leave foster care under-educated and lacking the skills so vital to their future, leaving them vulnerable to the risk of homelessness, criminal activity, and poor health. And these statistics are escalating:

• The average child in the system experiences 10 placement moves, and attends five high schools before age 18;
• 75% of foster children perform below grade level, and
• Fewer than 50% graduate from high school,
• 70% of foster boys experience incarceration or homelessness, and 60% of girls are pregnant within 4 years of leaving the foster care system.
• While 70% of foster teens express a desire to attend college, fewer than 3% actually do so.
• Currently there are over 800 children in Santa Barbara County’s foster care system, many of whom are sent out of county, far away from home, for care.