Childhood is a precious time in our development. We only get one and you often can’t get it back. A time when we’re the most vulnerable. A critical time where lessons are learned by our experiences. Those experiences shape who we will become as adults. A time when we need adults to show up for us daily.
Childhood should be protected at all costs.
Unfortunately, for some children that means state intervention is needed and children must be removed from their parent’s custody and placed in the foster system. That also leads to sticky situations for older children about to age out.
The Topeka Capital-Journal’s Jason Alatidd reports Kansas is the first state in the country to enact a new type of permanency for youths in foster care that allows older teenagers to establish legal relationships with supportive adults while still maintaining ties to their birth family.
The new option is known as “support, opportunity, unity, legal relationships family legal permanency,” or SOUL.
Gov. Laura Kelly ceremonially signed the House Bill 2536 into law recently, giving children in need of care an option for lifelong support as they move into adulthood and even after.
We’re proud Kansas is the first state to expand its options. Estimates are it will affect 100 youths each year. For each youth whose life is improved is a world improved.
Many young people advocated for this unique approach to a complex situation including those who have lived through foster care.
“I’m so glad that the state finally heard us,” said Alexandria Ware, speaking through tears at the ceremony.
“This has shown the progress of Kansas being able to listen to young people. … I remember when we didn’t listen to young people,” Ware added. “So to see that growth is phenomenal. I just ask, any policies that you continue to make — whether it’s the state of Kansas, whether its Kansas Appleseed, whether it’s the legislators — that you have young people at that table.”
Who better to advice leaders of our foster care system than current and former foster youths themselves? We appreciate that leaders took the time to listen and look for a practical approach to a complex problem.
We’ve long advocated for reforms to the system, and we believe this to be a great first step in that direction.
Thank you for listening and putting into action a plan youths need and want.
