Fostering a child is a selfless act that requires strength, patience, and love. Children who enter the foster care system have to deal with many difficult situations and also cope with being around a whole new family. It takes a lot of effort, but, in the end, it’s almost always worth it.
Unfortunately, like with everything, there’s always a bad seed in the mix. Some foster parents aren’t as nice as they make themselves out to be, and the teen in this story realized too late that the people who took him in were acting all along.
More info: Reddit | Update 1 | Update 2
Greedy people make a lot of money from their fostering “business”, and as soon as this 18YO isn’t worth as much to them anymore, they decide to kick him out
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster had been put into foster care when he was 7 due to issues with his biological parents, and a family called the “Peters” had taken him in
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Although the Peters never adopted the boy, he felt like he was a part of the family and treated them like his parents and their biological son like a brother
Image credits: pch.vector (not the actual photo)
The foster family used to get a monthly fostering allowance of £2400 to look after the boy until he turned 18
Image credits: Candid-Spot-5015
Image credits: Nickelodeon (not the actual photo)
After the teen became a legal adult, the Peters applied for a “staying put” arrangement that helped them earn £1000, but that didn’t seem to be enough for them
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
The 18-year-old thought he would at least get to stay with the family till he was 21, but they suddenly told him he had just 4 days to move out of the house
Image credits: Candid-Spot-5015
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
The teen was heartbroken and felt like he was the one no one ever wanted
Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)
Netizens guided him on what to do, so he spoke to a social worker who said he could live in social housing and that they would help with rent
Image credits: Karolina Kaboompics (not the actual photo)
The social worker also spoke to the Peters and figured out a way for the poster to stay with them at least for another month
Image credits: Candid-Spot-5015
The foster family would receive a “staying put” allowance until the day the teen actually moved out
This heartbreaking experience really puts the uncertainty of being a foster kid into perspective. Initially, the boy felt like he was truly a part of the family even though the Peters hadn’t adopted him. It was only later, once he turned 18 that they stated that fostering was a business for them. Since they could not get the £2400 allowance, he was not valuable to them anymore. That’s why they also planned to get a new foster placement.
The idea behind a fostering allowance is not for people to treat it as a business opportunity. The government pays the money so that foster parents don’t have to dip into their own savings to look after the child. It also helps combat some of the high costs of living and allows them to meet the needs of the kids in their care.
It’s shocking to think that the foster parents were so ready to abandon the teen just because they weren’t getting the full £2,400. The poster even shared some calculations with commenters, stating that “mine obviously stopped, but it would be the same for the [9-year-old] foster placement they have now. So, 2,400×12 = 28,800 per year. Plus my 12,000 per year from the staying put order. Gave them a nice 40,800 per year.” Even that wasn’t enough for the parents.
They were so willing to kick the boy out with just 4 days’ notice. But the teen’s situation is unfortunately more common than one would imagine. Around 1 in 5 foster kids experience homelessness between the ages of 17-19. When they age out of the system, it can be hard to face the demands of life without the support of a stable, loving home.
Image credits: Timur Weber (not the actual photo)
The teen was extremely disturbed by the actions of his foster family, and netizens urged him to file a complaint against them or talk to a social worker. He eventually spoke to one who helped sign him up for a social housing program and added that they would aid him with rent once he moved out. All of this would help him avoid homelessness and continue his education.
The social worker might have also spoken to the Peters who agreed to let the teen stay with them at least for another month. So he felt reassured that he wouldn’t have to scramble and figure out a new living situation within just a few days. The boy also had the option of moving to a youth hostel in case he felt uncomfortable in the foster family’s home.
According to Fosterva, “When a child enters foster care through social services, it is seen as a traumatic experience for all children in foster care; they lose so much, regardless of how valid the reason the child was removed for their safety or how well prepared and well-intentioned the foster family is.” That’s why it’s quite sad to see how the teen’s foster family betrayed him by taking him in only to capitalize on the allowance and then let him go so easily.
The foster family should not be allowed to get away with such horrible actions. Netizens were enraged on behalf of the teen, and they urged him to notify the authorities. It must be so tough for an 18-year-old to deal with this all alone, but luckily his personal advisor was able to offer him a ray of hope.
What do you think the teen should do about this situation?
Some social workers responded to the poster in the comments and explained how unethical his foster family’s actions really were
