In the United States, nearly 400,000 children are in foster care on a given day, according to the Department of Education.
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump signed an executive order at the White House on Thursday aimed at strengthening foster care efforts in the United States.
Trump was joined by First Lady Melania Trump in the East Room for the signing of the order, which is designed to expand opportunities for education, career development, housing, and other resources for young people leaving foster care and entering adulthood.
“We aregoingtoprotectAmericanchildreninfostercare,andwe’regoingtoensurethattheywillnever,everbeforgotten,” Trump said before signing the order.
“They’re goingtogrowuptobeunbelievable,strong,smart,wealthy,productivecitizens.”
The order is part of the first lady’s “Fostering the Future” initiative, which “secures educational opportunities and scholarships for children in the foster care community,” according to its website. It’s also part of the “Be Best” campaign that she launched in May 2018 during Trump’s first term to focus on children’s well-being.
“This executive order, fostering the future for American children and families, gives me tremendous pride,” the first lady said during the event. “It is both empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful.”
In the United States, nearly 400,000 children are in foster care on a given day, according to the Department of Education.
“Each year, more than 15,000 young people age out of the foster care system, and unfortunately, too many struggle to become self-sufficient,” Trump said. “The order I will sign in a few moments will provide vital new resources to help young people transition out of the foster care system and live a very happy and a very successful life.”
Many children in the foster care community lack the resources they need to complete their education and join the workforce.
According to the National Foster Youth Institute, only 55 percent of foster youth graduate from high school, compared to 87 percent of the general population. And fewer than 5 percent of foster youth obtain a college degree, due to a lack of support.
They also face employment gaps. By age 24, only half of former foster youth will have employment, compared to 75 percent of their peers. And they also earn less compared to their counterparts.
Meanwhile, 20 percent of the children in foster care will become homeless after aging out of the system, according to estimates.
By Emel Akan
