Florida’s foster kids need access to records

The number of kids aging-out of foster care has risen so dramatically that lawmakers want to extend foster care services, including housing and education, through age 21.

Now news-journalonline.com reports that challenges of aging-out increase when a former foster child asks for personal records from the state of Florida. Only a few can gather information like their medical histories and addresses where they have lived.

“These people don’t really have their own history,” said Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland.

Gov. Charlie Crist, is preparing to release a report that will include about two dozen recommendations to try to improve the state’s system of public records and meetings. Crist is not expected to remove Florida’s adoption ban.