The role of foster parents in helping young people develop emancipation skills

The current focus on preparing youths in foster care for emancipation has largely ignored the critical role foster parents have always played in preparing youths to leave their homes and take their place as successful adults in our society. To assure that programs to enhance youths' skills and abilities to function responsibly are fully effective, they must include foster parents. In doing so, they will exponentially increase the hours of service and training available to eligible youths and develop a resource that will be available to future youths after funds are redirected. It is unrealistic, however, to expect foster parents to provide all of the help that most youths in foster care need. Foster family support and training must be seen as one dimension of an integrated approach that provides all youths with a variety of resources but is specific to the needs of each youth. With appropriate support and training, foster parents can assume professional responsibility for assuring that such plans are implemented, and that youths leaving foster care have what they need to emancipate successfully.