17 and Out You GO!!!!
Of course this isn't a fact in most cases of children growing up in care. Many continue to live as their caregivers own children would, loved and protected with a strong sense of belonging.
Sadly however a large number of now ex-foster
children find themselves independent and without
real supports.
Broken attachments to genetic family that would
otherwise be a safety net for these teens hinder their ability to progress in the world. Often like all normal times teens flap their wings to step into what they consider a much more free existence. Without the controls they have lived with for so long. For the normal teen such a move to freedom would go with the normal stumbling's. For teens without foundations, without the cushion of unconditional love to reach back to they fall into helplessness is a downward spiral.
Some return to parents who are now strangers. Left to rebuild such a broken relationship isn't easy, add to that a 'history' with so much emotional baggage, possible blame throwing or anger issues and thus the transition to rebuild the relationship is often doomed.
Many teens will resort to crime to survive. Unplanned pregnancy the norm with often unsuitable or equally damaged partners. Effectively placing the new born in the cycle of neglect and abuse the parent themselves had been removed from.