Supporting Foster Youth Before Housing Instability Begins
Why youth voice, stable support systems, and prevention matter across Texas. Plus, THN’s role
Texas youth aging out of foster care face some of the highest risks of housing instability and homelessness in the state. But advocates, providers and young people themselves say better outcomes are possible when systems prioritize stability, relationships and youth voice.
According to a 2025 study from the University of Texas Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, approximately 33% of Texas youth who age out of foster care experience homelessness by age 21, while roughly 25% face immediate housing instability after leaving care. At the same time, statewide leaders say many of these outcomes are preventable with stronger support systems, earlier intervention and youth-centered solutions.
Understanding the challenges youth face after foster care
A recent report from the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies (The Center), Supporting Youth Aging Out of Foster Care in Texas, gathered perspectives from 205 young adults and more than 120 staff across the state to better understand the barriers young people face transitioning into adulthood.
The findings paint a clear picture: many young people leave care without stable housing plans, strong support systems, employment opportunities or even basic documents needed to secure housing, jobs or education.
“Both foster care and housing systems, including in-care and out-of-care options, leave critical gaps in safety, stability and support for many young people,” said Valerie Hallam, a Texas Homeless Network board member and Director of Systems Advancement at the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services.
Hallam led the statewide study, which identified housing instability, lack of life skills preparation, limited support networks, and barriers to documentation as some of the most common challenges facing transition-age youth.
The report found that only 48% of eligible youth enroll in Extended Foster Care, where time in care averages one year or less. Many young people reported they were never fully informed the program existed or could not find an approved placement in the program. Further, the study recommended expanding Extended Foster Care supports through age 26 and improving outreach to youth beginning earlier in adolescence.
The report also found that while most youth complete required life skills training, many still age out without practical experience navigating housing, employment or independent living.
Why youth voices must be part of the solution
For Toni Johnson, president of Texas Homeless Network’s Youth Action Board (YAB), those gaps are deeply personal.
After experiencing homelessness and navigating systems meant to support youth, Johnson said she understands how overwhelming the transition to adulthood can feel without consistent support.
Now, she is using her experience to advocate for other young people across Texas. She wants to elevate youth voices in decision-making, reduce stigma around youth homelessness, and expand awareness of available resources like McKinney-Vento.
“I want youth to know they are more than their circumstances,” Johnson said. “Young people deserve to be part of the conversations and decisions that affect their lives.”
Texas Homeless Network launched its Youth Action Board to help ensure young people with lived experience are not just included in conversations, but helping lead them. The board brings together young adults ages 18–24 who have experienced homelessness or housing instability to advise THN on programs, advocacy, and statewide initiatives focused on youth homelessness.
Marcel Rivers, THN Planning & Engagement Coordinator and YAB’s advisor, said the board is designed around the belief that solutions are strongest when shaped directly by young people.
“Youth know what barriers exist because they’ve lived them,” Rivers said. “The goal is not to create solutions for youth without youth at the table.”
The TACFS report similarly emphasized the importance of youth governance and youth-led decision making, recommending stronger youth leadership councils and greater involvement from young people in shaping policies and programs.
Building stronger pathways to stability
Across Texas, providers and advocates are increasingly recognizing that preventing homelessness among foster youth requires more than emergency response. It requires stable housing pathways, stronger relationships, coordinated systems, and opportunities for young people to shape the supports intended to help them succeed.
Youth outcomes improve when young people have access to stable housing, trusted adult connections, education, employment opportunities, and consistent support systems, according to TACFS’ report.
For THN, that work includes centering youth voice through efforts like the Youth Action Board while continuing to support communities across the Texas Balance of State in strengthening youth homelessness response systems.
As conversations around youth homelessness continue statewide, leaders say one thing is clear: young people transitioning out of foster care do not just need services, they need stability, belonging, opportunity, and systems that support their futures.