Tess recently saw two of her longest-term children, the identical twins Joaquin and Santos, leave her home as they neared or reached their 18th birthday. Their stories reflect the strengths and weaknesses of foster care for adolescents. For although these young men were able to gain a sense of balance and hope while living with Tess, they now face extremely uncertain prospects as they try to establish a life beyond her extra-ordinary home.

States vary as to the age at which they cease making payments to foster parents who have youths in care. In some states it is 18; in others, 21. In the State of Washington, adolescents can remain in foster care until the age of 21 as long as they continue to pursue their GED or stay in school, which Joaquin has chosen not to do.

Being fully emancipated at 18 is an enormous challenge for any teen, but particularly for teens in foster care. Many have not had the opportunity to fully develop social skills and self-esteem to enter the work world. Joaquins's struggles are exacerbated by the fact that he can barely read. While some programs and support services are available to help Joaquin, so far he has been unable to take full advantage of them. Friends say he is at a critical juncture , and with the right help, he could turn the corner and make a sucessfull transition to independent living. He will need extensive support from the community in order to do this.