Campaign focuses on Utah teens in need of foster homes

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

The Utah Foster Care Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new campaign aimed at helping an age group that is often overlooked.

Every year there are about 200 teens in Utah that need a home, according to the Utah Foster Foundation.

With its new campaign, the Foundation hopes to raise awareness about their needs.

Rachel Wilson and her husband have been taking in foster care children for the past 10 years. Said Wilson, "The empty nest bothered my husband. He didn't want to do that."

**Did you know…**

• Out of Utah's 2,600+ children in foster care, 1,156 are age 14 and older • Between 300-400 of these teens do not live in a family setting • In 2008, 219 teens "aged out" of Utah's foster care system, which means the child is 18 years or older and is no longer in the custody of the state or other guardian. They are considered legally independent. • Nationally, of those who "age out" of the system, less than half graduate from high school at the time they were discharged. Only a few more get their high school diplomas 2-4 years later. - *Utah Foster Care*

Most recently, they took in teenager Eddie Ballesteros. "I have an amazing relationship with my foster family," said Eddie. "I didn't think we would get along at first, but it was a good experience."

Eddie was first in the foster care system when he was a young child and ended up back in it while he was a teenager.

Though he's not in the system anymore, he's grateful he was.

"It gave me a stable environment where I could develop my personality outside of an abusive home. So I kind of got to develop myself and my character," he said.

Kelly Peterson, CEO of the Uah Foster Care Foundation, says foster teenagers have gotten a bad rap. That's why they are starting this new campaign.

"There's the message out there that teenagers can be difficult, or there's delinquency that goes to them. But a lot of teens that come into our care come in for the same reasons their younger siblings come in for, and it's for abuse and neglect," Peterson said.

Abuse and/or neglect are the primary reasons children are placed into foster care. -Utah Foster Care

Peterson adds it's very important for these kids to have positive role models: "The long-term connections are so critical for them to be able to transition into adulthood, and they need families," she said.

Families like the Wilsons are a great example, and they reap their own emotional rewards as well.

"Teenagers are fun to [foster], to work with. They help me and my husband stay young," said Wilson with a laugh.

If you think you can foster a teen, contact Utah Foster Care. You will be sent a packet to fill out, be screened, and have to complete 32 hours of training.

E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com