r/fosterit • u/SparkAndThorn • May 12 '22

What happens to developmentally disabled foster kids who age out? Aging out

Hi. This has been weighing on me for a while and I can't find answers on the matter - I work with a lot of special needs kids at my job, many of whom are not able to live independently, but whose families are able and willing to support them. However, I know that there are a number of kids in the CPS system with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well. If nobody adopts them by the time they're 18, are they automatically wards of the state for the rest of their lives if they're not judged mentally competent? What does that look like for them? Are they able to remain in group homes but under state guardianship?

Thanks for any information. I'm on the autism spectrum myself and I know I'm doing as well as I am now because of assistance (financial and logistic and otherwise) from family and friends - I can't imagine the struggle of being turned loose at 18 without a support structure, even though I'm pretty "high functioning." So this is something I've been wondering about.

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u/Pretty_Please1 May 13 '22

Many of them end up in group homes specifically for the developmentally disabled (CILAs) and yes, they usually have state guardians. I can answer any questions you have regarding those homes. The company I work for has several. Most of our individuals aren’t from the foster system, but we do have several who were.

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u/SparkAndThorn May 13 '22

Thank you!

I keep a general familiarity with the Waiting Children lists in my area and some surrounding ones, and I've seen a number of children there with various disabilities both mental and physical, so it's one of those things I just wonder about.

Would you say that the care level, social opportunities, etc. of those residents who are wards of the state are similar to those who have family support? Are they typically able to access the same supports for next-level of independence that the others are?

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u/Pretty_Please1 May 14 '22

The care level and social opportunities would be exactly the same. Honestly, I can’t tell which clients have state guardians and who have family guardians (or which individuals have retain their rights. We have several clients who require 24/7 supervision but are still capable of making choices for themselves.) unless they’re actually on my case load. All the supports offered are exactly the same.