Aging out of foster care: what support actually exists
Differs by state or province
Every number on this page is jurisdictional and they change
often. Ontario’s scheme was renamed and restructured in July 2024. Treat
the figures as a starting point for a question to your own agency.
The scale
Around 18,500 young people transitioned out of US
foster care as adults in 2022 without a permanent family.
About 440,000 were eligible for federal transition support in 2021,
and at least 103,000 received one or more independent living
services in 2022.
The outcomes
From the Midwest Evaluation, which followed young people
to age 26:
- Median annual earnings of $8,950, against
$27,310 for a comparison group - 8% held a post-secondary degree
- 31% had been homeless or couch surfing since
the previous interview - 19.9% had no high school diploma or GED, three times the
comparison rate - 34% reported food insecurity
That study is 2011 data from three states. It remains among the
best longitudinal evidence available, and it is old. We are
attributing it by name so you can judge it.
The finding that should change the conversation
What support exists
United States. The Chafee programme covers
young people aged 14 to 23. Education and Training Vouchers provide
up to $5,000 a year for a maximum of five years, covering tuition,
fees, books, supplies, transport and childcare.
British Columbia. The Provincial Tuition Waiver
Program waives tuition for current and former youth in care. The
Youth Educational Assistance Fund provides grants of up to $5,500 a
programme year for ages 19 to 24. The SAJE programme runs support to
age 27, including income support, housing and
medical and dental benefits. BC’s own page states that almost half
of former youth in care have experienced homelessness.
Ontario. Ready, Set, Go replaced the previous
scheme on 1 July 2024, covering ages 18 to 23. Direct payments step
down with age, from $1,800 a month at 18 to $500 at 22, with an
additional $500 a month between 20 and 23 for post-secondary
participation. Transition planning begins at 13. Notably, the
continuation of an agreement does not depend on whether the young
person meets their goals.
Across Canada, extended support ends somewhere between 21 and 27
depending where you are.
What to do next
If you are caring for a teenager, ask now what transition
support exists where you live and when planning starts. Ontario begins
at 13. Starting the conversation at 17 is far too late, and the housing
question is the one to press hardest on.
Sources
- US Government Accountability Office, GAO-25-107154 on transition-age foster youth (January 2025)
- Chapin Hall, Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth, outcomes at age 26
- Chapin Hall, extended foster care delays but does not prevent homelessness
- British Columbia, aging out of foster care
- Ontario, Ready Set Go policy directive CW 001-24
- Casey Family Programs, Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study
Facts on this page were checked against the sources above on 20 August 2026. Rules change. If you are making a decision, confirm the detail with the agency responsible for your area.
