In an unsettling trend, the percentage of children aging out of Nebraska’s foster care system has almost doubled over the last decade, according to a new report by the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office. While 5% of children aged out in 2015, that figure has climbed to 9.3% by 2025.
Children “age out” when they turn 19 while still in state care without achieving permanency through reunification with parents, adoption, guardianship, or living with relatives.
The Review Office highlights that nearly 25% of youth who age out face homelessness within four years. They are also more susceptible to mental health issues and unstable employment.
Additionally, the percentage of children reunited with their parents has declined significantly, with current figures at 45.5%, down from 61% a decade ago.
Monika Gross, the executive director of the Foster Care Review Office, noted a decrease in overall numbers of children in out-of-home care. This reduction is attributed to federal policy changes enabling federal funding for in-home services.
“What we’re seeing then is the children and families that are currently in out-of-home care maybe have more issues to resolve or to address, or just have more complex needs, and so it’s more difficult to reunify,” Gross explained.
A separate annual report reveals that parental substance abuse causes about half of the child removals from in-home care.
“I’m not sure what’s happening across the state to prevent substance abuse, but clearly I think it’s impacting the children of the state, and more needs to be done,” Gross commented.
Gross also called for measures to address the disproportionality of children of color in the child welfare system.
