This is a question we receive often as a therapeutic foster care agency. The average age of children we serve in our agencies in Indiana and Kentucky are a good representation of the foster care system across the country.
The answer, actually, may surprise you. The average age of children in foster care is 8 years old up to 18 or 21 (depending on the state) which means a lot aren’t technically children but teens. Many of the children below the age of 8 in foster care are in sibling groups that must be placed together. The average age for teens in foster care is
At Benchmark Family Services this is representative of the population we often serve as a therapeutic foster care agency.
What is Therapeutic Foster Care?
Therapeutic foster homes care for a unique population of children and teens. Oftentimes, youth in therapeutic foster care have been through traumatic life events. Children in need of therapeutic foster care often live with emotional, mental, and physical disabilities.
These foster children and teens can have a number of presenting issues that are a direct result from their past and life experiences.
As a therapeutic foster care agency we get the opportunity to train, educate, and equip the foster parents we work with to best care for these children and teens and walk in partnership with the different services and treatments they may require.
At Benchmark Family Services, most of the youth we serve are adolescents who require more intensive support and therapeutic foster care. We believe that by placing them in the care of the right foster family, significant progress can be made as they are surrounded by support, attention, and stability.
Therapeutic Foster Care for Teens
Oftentimes teens are more likely to be in need of therapeutic foster care as they have lived more life experiences that could be affecting them in multiple different ways.
The teens we work with have often been in the foster care system for many years. Unlike group homes or other foster homes they may have bounced around from, therapeutic foster homes give them their first chance to truly receive the support and services they need to heal and grow.
Many of the teens who are supported by therapeutic foster parents see multiple positive outcomes in their life from better school behavior and performance to having a support system, building healthy relationships and much more.
Can You Help?
Unfortunately, the population with the greatest need for therapeutic foster parents can be the hardest to place. Many foster parents hesitate to volunteer to care for these teens and the additional challenges that may come with helping raise a teen in foster care.
For this reason, at Benchmark Family Services we offer ongoing support and foster parent training in Indiana and Kentucky. We never want you to feel like you are doing it alone and want to support you in any questions you may have or struggles you may face.
This population of teens is in need of your support and if you think you may be feeling led to become a therapeutic foster parent to one of the teens in our care, contact us today to get started.