When they turn 18, the support ends. For many, it feels like being abandoned. And not for the first time.

Close your eyes for a moment and think back to when you turned 18. The excitement. The possibilities. An adult at last.

Maybe there was a party. Or a night out with friends. Perhaps a parent who had written you a beautiful letter that made you cry – and the quiet reassurance that they would always be there if things went wrong.

 

Now imagine turning 18 without any of that.

 

There was no celebration when Chloe* turned 18.

She had been in state care since she was six years old, after her mother died suddenly. Over the next 12 years she moved through 14 placements. Some lasted months, some lasted weeks. Each time, Chloe packed her bags and started over.

 

When state care came to an end on her 18th birthday, Chloe was on her own – no home and no one to call if things went wrong. With nowhere to turn, she slept on a friend’s couch. Couch surfing is no way to start life as an adult.

 

Thankfully, Chloe’s GP recognised the risk and referred her to AnglicareSA’s Post Care services – a program run by AnglicareSA that provides subsidised, self-contained one-bedroom apartments for young people in Chloe’s position.

“I used to think stability was something other people got to have. Now I know it’s possible for me too.” said Chloe

Unfortunately, Chloe’s situation is not unique. In fact:

 

64 % of young people leaving state care experience homelessness within two years

70% of rough sleepers in Australia have a history of care

 

Children come into state care as a last resort. They did not choose this, and they deserve better than what the system hands them at 18.

 

*Chloe’s name has been changed and images are AI-generated to protect the privacy and dignity of the individual.