BEND, OR — Copies of the new Oregon Bill of Rights for Foster Children are being sent to every foster home and group home this week. Now, the same team of children who developed it is making new recommendations to policymakers. They addressed concerns that teens aging out of foster care need more financial guidance and housing options to live on their own, and that foster children could be better matched with families to avoid kids bouncing from one home to another. For Royce Markley, that was nine foster homes.
“It’s horrible for your sense of belonging. It creates all these emotional and developmental problems when you’re moving all the time, because you never have any time to focus on yourself. You’re constantly focusing on the next move; ‘Am I going to be moved? Am I going to have to make new friends?’ You’re kind of in this defense mode all the time.”
Markley and other members of the Oregon Foster Youth Connection are recommending a compatibility survey for foster parents and children prior to assigning placements. He would also like to see additional funding for the Independent Living Programs in every county that help foster teens transition to adult living.
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