18 and knows it all...

My blogging has gotten behind. With Frannie sleeping on the couch right next to the computer, my time to blog has been limited. Anyway, she had her long-anticipated 18th birthday this week. She's a typical professional foster kid and just knew that when she turned 18, the world was going to magically begin going her way. Needless to say, it did not.

She had the option in our state of signing herself into "post custody services" with the county DCS office. If she had, they would have helped her get set up in an apartment, helped her get a job, and paid her a monthly stipend for the next 4 years. In return, she would have been required to check in with a case worker once a month and stay in some type of educational program (high school, GED class, college, trade school, etc.). She opted not to go this route. They then offered her transitional living services through another agency. They would have provided more intensive assistance (meeting with worker every week) but had no other requirements. She must have declined this, too. Anyway, DCS gave her permission to stay with me a couple more days until she could find a place to live.

On her birthday, we woke her with singing and the non-traditional doughnut cake and one present. After school, we went out to eat at a restaurant that offers free dessert and public humiliation for the birthday girl. She loved it! We came home and she opened the rest of her presents and the proceeded to call everyone she knew to see if she could live with them for a while. From her end of the conversation, I couldn't tell that she found any.

She got up the next morning and left for the bus (or so I thought). The rest of us left for our schools. When we got home about 4:00, Frannie, along with all her stuff, was gone. That's it - POOF and she was on her own. There is nothing anyone can do as she is 18 and legally an adult. Sadly, the only thing 18 about her is that she was born 18 years ago. She functions on the level of a delayed 8 year old. She is unable to write the most basic sentence. Here is a bit of an email she sent to a friend complaining that no one will help her,

" i proable sta some where i dot even kno where i a going to liv they stel have not help me get a jod so not monethat no house apartpnet so ye so how was you day gone so far"

I can only imagine what the job market would look like for someone with those literacy skills. She has no education, no marketable skills, and no social supports. I feel so bad for her. Her first 18 years have been a huge struggle. The rest of her life looks to be even worse! She's 18 and thinks she knows it all. We've all tried to explain it to her but she won't (can't) listen. What can you do?