The letter below encouraging people to participate in a petition is on the Fostercare Share ActionStation site and I thought it was an important enough issue to publish on the BTO blog:
LETTER STARTS:
LETTER STARTS:
"Did you know that in New Zealand young people are exited from foster care on their 17th birthday?
While most 17 year olds are worrying about things like exams, these young people are worrying about where they’ll live and how to support themselves.
With no support networks and no place to call home, many young people struggle to cope.
Leaving state care at 17 means teenagers can end up on to the streets for years.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a simple change we can make – raising the age of leaving foster care from 17 to 21.
I just signed a petition calling for exactly that, will you join me?
Our government is currently reviewing Child Youth and Family’s role. This is the perfect opportunity that Kiwis from all walks of life to show that we don’t stop caring when our young people in state care turn 17.
By signing this petition, we can help ensure young people won’t be left out in the cold when they turn 17."
Please add your name now: www.actionstation.org.nz/wedontstopcaring
LETTER ENDS
BTO says:
The vulnerability of youngsters who are dependent on the state and the need for them to continue to have the safety nets of kind people who are willing to take them in, is important in today's society.
It is not acceptable to have a situation where they have nowhere to go and slip through the cracks of legislation because of their age, in this great country of ours.
I would hope that like me, you would get behind this petition for our young displaced people and help ensure they have loving, caring, warm homes to go to until they can fend for themselves.
Beating the Odds
BTO
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