Political Quotes

“Mr. President, children raised in loving and supportive households grow up to become more productive individuals, benefiting both the individual child and society at large. However, housing instability is linked to poor outcomes for children. Unsafe housing conditions and homelessness can threaten a child's safety. These conditions are often the reason for an investigation by the local child welfare agency, out-of-home placement, or a delay in family reunification. Homelessness can also lead parents to voluntarily place their children in foster care while they search for housing. Families may also be separated because of shelter policies that exclude teenagers, especially boys. Further, youth aging out of the foster care system are particularly vulnerable to homelessness because they must make the transition to adulthood without support, financial or otherwise, from parents or other trusted guardians. In Virginia, the Governor's office reported that as of September 2015 there were 5,140 total children in the Virginia foster care program. For fiscal year 2015, the average annual cost of foster care in Virginia was almost $47,000. Further, in 2013 Virginia had approximately 550 youth age out of the foster care system at age 18 without being connected to families. Nationally, over one-fifth of children who age out of the foster care system will experience homelessness at some time after age 18.…”