Governor Blunt has formed a task force to review how the state can help foster children never placed in a home become independent.
Not all foster children get adopted. In fact, of the 9, 373 children in Missouri’s foster care system, about a quarter of them are at least 16 years old. Few of the older children will be adopted. They face the very real prospect of having to make the transition from the foster care system to independence.
Jessica Robinson, with the governor’s office, says Blunt has appointed 17 people to the task force. Members will represent both the public and private sector. It includes foster parents and foster children. He wants them to evaluate public and private resources available for foster children as they approach 18. A three-year plan for improvement should be forwarded to the governor by the end of the year.