Fostering Teenagers: The Urgent Need

Children in foster care, regardless of age, often come from backgrounds of trauma, abuse, or neglect. However, there is a particularly urgent need for foster families who are willing and equipped to care for teenagers. ​According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adolescents aged 13 to 19 constitute approximately 35% of the foster care population. Like younger children, teens require love, guidance, and support. However, they also start to develop the need to learn certain life skills as they prepare to transition from adolescence into adulthood.

“It can sometimes be difficult to find foster families willing to take an older child,” says Lynne Carter, Director of Centerstone’s Foster Care Program. “People often assume that teenagers will be challenging, but the reality is that some are, while others are not. Our first step is to meet with the child to gage where they are and to ensure they’re on board, as their commitment makes the foster parenting experience more stable and successful,” she adds.

So what does it take to foster a teenager? The three most important criteria to keep in mind are:

1. Unconditional acceptance of who they are and their past
2. Setting firm boundaries to help keep them safe and stable
3. Providing them a safe place to thrive

Fostering a teenager requires an open heart, a willingness to give without expecting immediate returns, and the ability to create space in both your home and lifestyle. It’s important to familiarize yourself with behavioral management skills and remain open to learning new ones. Most importantly, embracing the opportunity to love and care for a teenager in need can make a profound difference in their life and yours.

Teenagers are the blossoming flowers in the garden of tomorrow’s hopes and dreams for a better world. Start the journey to becoming a foster parent today and open your home and your heart to a teenager who needs your love, support, and care. You can learn more about Centerstone’s therapeutic foster care program and start the licensing process by visiting www.centerstonefamilies.org now!