When you turn 18 in Colorado, you are given the option to close your case as a foster kid. When I turned 18, I chose to keep it open and do something called Youth in Transition. Basically this means I have custody of myself and I can do whatever I want, but my Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) is now considered a lawyer, and she does whatever I tell her I want done in my case. I still have a caseworker and a family court judge as well. They are supposed to offer me support in my transition to adult hood to help me be as successful as possible. I chose to do this because I was just starting college and I needed guidance. I don’t know if it’s because the program is new, or because my team just really sucks, but they have offered no support in the past year. Every time I’ve gone to them for help, they have told me either “ask your friends” or “figuring this out is a part of growing up.” The problem with this is, I do not have parents. I don’t have anyone to ask for advice from. The state is supposed to be stand in parents for youth who don’t have any. So why are they not helping me? All I’m asking for is help finding resources and they won’t do it. But when I find a solution, whether or not it works out, they say I’m “impulsive”. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous and unfair. So after almost two years of this, I’ve decided to close out my case. I think it’s the best option for me since I’m not getting any support from my team. The monthly meetings usually end with them criticizing everything I do and me telling them that they don’t get to criticize me when they’re the ones who failed to provide support in the first place. I’m a little bit scared to be going forward with this, but I’m also looking forward to being done with it all.
