The number of youth who age out of foster care has risen steadily over the past decade, even in the wake of increased efforts to achieve permanence for all children in foster care.
For far too many youth, aging out of care results in homelessness, work instability, and a lack of stable, loving relationships with adults. These grim facts are even more heartbreaking because we know these youth could have found a permanent family, if only they had been given the chance.
Younger foster children have a much better chance of finding a permanent family. Once waiting children in foster care are nine or older, they are much less likely to be adopted.  About 43 percent of waiting children are nine or older, but 72 percent of those who are adopted are under age nine.  The average age of children when they are adopted from foster care is 6.6 years, while the average age of waiting children is 8.2 years. The average waiting child has been in foster care for more than three years.  Every day that a waiting child remains in foster care, his chances of being adopted decrease.

Published by:
North American Council on Adoptable Children

Every year, more and more children in foster care find permanent homes with relatives when they cannot return to live with their parents. Most children will find permanent homes through relative adoption, which continued to increase throughout the decade. In 2000, 21 percent of the children adopted from foster care were adopted by relatives. By 2007, relative adoptions from foster care accounted for 28 percent of the children exiting foster care.

This publication was a collaborative effort between ChildFocus and the North American Council on Adoptable Children

As the parent/legal guardian of a child, youth or young adult (referred to as youth in this handbook) enrolled in PerformCare, we are very excited about helping your youth and family get necessary services. This guide is designed to help you get the care that your youth needs. The information in this guide is about the behavioral health services (when we say behavioral health we are talking about behavioral, mental health or emotional challenges) available to your youth.

Call PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624 if you have any questions about the information found in this guide.

Published by
Family Law
A publishing imprint of Jordan Publishing Limited
21 St Thomas Street
Bristol BSI 6JS
For the Hague Conference on Private International Law
Permanent Bureau
6, Scheveningseweg
2517 KT The Hague
The Netherlands
Telephone +31(0)70 363 3303 fax +31(0)70 360 4867
e-mail secretariat@hcch.net website http://www.hcch.net
© Hague Conference on Private International Law 2012

Published by
Family Law
A publishing imprint of Jordan Publishing Limited
21 St Thomas Street
Bristol BSI 6JS
For the Hague Conference on Private International Law
Permanent Bureau
6, Scheveningseweg
2517 KT The Hague
The Netherlands
Telephone +31(0)70 363 3303 fax +31(0)70 360 4867
e-mail secretariat@hcch.net website http://www.hcch.net
© Hague Conference on Private International Law 2012

This book provides some of the knowledge needed to help you in your important role as a parent. Learning more about parenting and child development can make a world of difference for both you and your child. Increasing your understanding, together with your love for your child, can help you become a better parent – a very special person in your child’s world.
You expect a lot from your child … but your child’s age determines what you’ll get.
Parents somehow know that their child is not always going to behave perfectly. A child’s needs and actions change as he or she grows older, and all children develop at different rates. This is perfectly normal. However, knowing what to expect as your child goes through the different stages of life can help you a great deal. On the following pages you’ll find some behavior traits to expect as your child grows into an adult.

For Spanish version please click here.

Published by: Department of Children and Families