WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Program Helps Foster Kids Succeed in Adult Life (Berlin-WTNH) _ President Clinton has set aside close to $300 million to help young people across the nation successfully move out of their foster homes and into adulthood. News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue has the story. Jocelyn: "If you had been told a year ago - you're on your own - where do you think you'd be right now?" Joe Forsyth: "I wouldn't want to think about that." Joe Forsyth doesn't want other foster kids to worry about being on their own. That's why he supported Hillary Clinton in Washington this week as the First Lady announced a new $280 million plan which gives kids the guidance, education and job training to move from their foster homes into adulthood. Every year 20,000 children across the nation are removed from foster care because they turn 18. Few keep in touch with foster families and many wind up here on the streets. 4 out of 10 homeless people in America are former foster children. Glynis Cassis, Casey Family Services: "Most of these children have had a number of disruptions in their lives so they've missed out on a lot of the nurturing and the guidance that a biological family can consistently provide for them so at 18 they are not prepared to go out into the community." Casey Family Services moved Joe, once a troubled 13 year old, in with his foster parents who gave him the support to follow foster sister Alison to Springfield College in Massachusetts on scholarship. He still looks to them for support. Bill Forsyth, Foster Father: "Children need to be allowed to slowly let go instead of being cut of quickly." Dorothy Forsyth, Foster Mother: "Test waters... wade in slow... pitfalls... prepare themselves educationally without the stress of knowing you have to support yourself right away." Joe Forsyth, Foster Child: "I've come this far with the resources and there are so many people who haven't had what I've had. I just want everyone to have to resources. It's not fair just a couple of people everybody should have the opportunity to succeed." The $280 million will be spread out over the next five years. It's unknown exactly how much will benefit Connecticut children. Welfare services will have to compete for the money through grant applications. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Program Helps Foster Kids Succeed in Adult Life
(Berlin-WTNH) _ President Clinton has set aside close to $300 million to help young people across the nation successfully move out of their foster homes and into adulthood.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue has the story.

Jocelyn: "If you had been told a year ago - you're on your own - where do you think you'd be right now?"
Joe Forsyth: "I wouldn't want to think about that."

Joe Forsyth doesn't want other foster kids to worry about being on their own. That's why he supported Hillary Clinton in Washington this week as the First Lady announced a new $280 million plan which gives kids the guidance, education and job training to move from their foster homes into adulthood.

Every year 20,000 children across the nation are removed from foster care because they turn 18. Few keep in touch with foster families and many wind up here on the streets. 4 out of 10 homeless people in America are former foster children.

Glynis Cassis, Casey Family Services: "Most of these children have had a number of disruptions in their lives so they've missed out on a lot of the nurturing and the guidance that a biological family can consistently provide for them so at 18 they are not prepared to go out into the community."

Casey Family Services moved Joe, once a troubled 13 year old, in with his foster parents who gave him the support to follow foster sister Alison to Springfield College in Massachusetts on scholarship. He still looks to them for support.

Bill Forsyth, Foster Father: "Children need to be allowed to slowly let go instead of being cut of quickly."

Dorothy Forsyth, Foster Mother: "Test waters... wade in slow... pitfalls... prepare themselves educationally without the stress of knowing you have to support yourself right away."

Joe Forsyth, Foster Child: "I've come this far with the resources and there are so many people who haven't had what I've had. I just want everyone to have to resources. It's not fair just a couple of people everybody should have the opportunity to succeed."

The $280 million will be spread out over the next five years. It's unknown exactly how much will benefit Connecticut children. Welfare services will have to compete for the money through grant applications.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.