In California alone, our Foster Youth system is home to 60,000 kids from ages of infancy to 21 years. As if life hasn’t been hard enough on these kids, the last year has brought fear and struggles of facing the Covid-19 pandemic. The fight for a healthy and safe lifestyle has been impeded by the rising numbers in covid cases. Not only do these foster kids lack certain basic human needs, but the decrease in educational accessibility from transitioning to online schooling has also taken a toll on thousands of kids. Many have found it very difficult and even impossible to transition to online schooling for the reason that many do not have access to technology and resources to aid their educational success. In addition, the lack of accessibility to technology and quarantine restrictions has made many unable to reconnect and communicate with their biological families.

The utmost challenging part of this fight against Covid lies within the decline in searching and finding foster homes for these youth. Experts reveal that people who could potentially be foster parents have a new fear of taking in children during this pandemic because of the unknown exposure they might have had especially when coming from a group home where many outbreaks have been reported. 

This battle against the pandemic has two sides and visible strengths are coming to light with the help of government and community attention. In April of 2020, Governor Newsom signed an executive order that invested $42 million in resources to help youth. The money sought to aid the caregivers in the Foster Youth system who were forced to work remotely or with longer hours in spite of coronavirus. These funds were accepted with delight although many foster youth advocates further suggest that it is not enough to help improve the lives of these young people on a larger scale. 

With attention through funding and community donations, many families can obtain their financial need during this hard time, but then again there is a certain level of support that materials and money can not reach. 

Written by Kayla Gates (Northgate High School, 11th Grade) 

Citations: 

• Smith, Ashley A. “California Foster Youth Face Even More Challenges Amid Pandemic.” EdSource, EdSource, 17 June 2020, edsource.org/2020/california-foster-youth-face-even-more-challenges-amid-pandemic/633904. 

• Tan, Georgia. “The Impact of COVID-19 Through the Lens of Foster Youth and Justice-Involved Youth.” American Youth Policy Forum, 16 Dec. 2020, www.aypf.org/blog/impact-of-covid-foster-justice-involved-youth/. 

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