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Independent Living Resources Fostering Adults – An editorial on aging out of the foster care system and its consequences. On Your Own Without a Net: The Transition to Adulthood for Vulnerable Populations – This new book is a product of the MacArthur Foundation Network on Transitions to Adulthood. The book documents special challenges facing seven vulnerable populations during the transition to adulthood: foster care, youth, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth formerly in the criminal justice system, runway and homeless youth, special education students, youth people in the mental health system, and youth with physical disabilities. Casey Life Skills – free and easy to use tools to help young people prepare for adulthood. GAO Report – Foster Youth: HHS Actions Could Improve Coordination of Services and Monitoring of States’ Independent Living Programs – 56 page report. National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development – List of available publications and descriptions of each. ++++++++++ Foster Kids Struggle at Eighteen
Recent studies show that many teenagers who exit the system at 18 face daunting challenges their contemporaries seldom encounter. Without adult guidance, they are likelier to stumble into poverty, unemployment, early parenthood and incarceration. Their physical and mental health is more likely to deteriorate. They are less likely to finish school and more likely to become drug addicts or crime victims. They are also more likely to become homeless. In addition to the article above, readers may also want to take a look at this report:
Supporting Foster Youth to Achieve Employment and Self-Sufficiency - The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth makes this report available for download. It is 22 pages in length.
++++++++++ Promising Practices Monographs on Independent Living The Chafee legislation requires greater accountability through outcome measures, standardized performance assessment system, and a program evaluation. It also promotes collaborations, increasing funding for states, and targeting new populations for services. In response, the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development (and here I thought NCJFCJ’s name was too long!) has published these monographs on promising practices: Tribal Approaches to Transition – 40 page pdf file. Aftercare Services – 53 page pdf file.
The Transition Years – 49 page pdf file.
In the Spirit of Chafee: Collaboration in Youth Services - 46 page pdf file.
++++++++++ The Orphan Foundation of America The OFA has served thousands of foster teens across the United States. From teaching youth how to balance a checkbook, write a resume, and apply for a first job, to testifying before Congress and state legislatures, OFA is a vocal champion for foster teens. ++++++++++ From the Children’s Bureau Express – Life Skills Training – Casey Family Programs has a coordinated set of online resources to help professionals and caregivers work together to teach youth the skills they need to live successfully on their own. The set has three components: The Casey Life Skills Assessment; a Life Skills Guidebook for professionals, and Ready, Set, Fly! A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Life Skills. Can be used independently or together. National Resource Center for Youth Development: State-by-State Help for Older Youth - This site will give you contact information for each state’s independent living coordinator, a link to the state’s Chafee plan, information on services for 18 to 21 year olds, state youth advisory boards, tribal information, the state’s Medicaid option, and more. |
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