Creating lifetime connections
that help foster youth make
successful transitions to adulthood
Learning to live independently, or interdependently, is a lifelong journey. For most children, this process takes place as part of growing up in a family. In a family setting, children have the best chance of receiving continuous economic and emotional support from nurturing parent(s) as they make the transitions from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood.
For more than a half-million children in the United States, this family support simply doesn’t exist. When parental care and protection are unavailable, local government agencies become the designated agent “in loco parentis,” in other words, the state becomes a child's legal parent while they are in foster care.
Each year, as many as 25,000 older youths "age out" of foster care at ages 18 to 21 and must make the transition to self-sufficiency on their own. Only about one in four of these young people will return home permanently. Very few will be adopted. Many will leave foster care without the permanent connections to family and other caring adults that are critical to safe and stable transitions.
Each year, 100,000 young people in out-of-home care participate in independent living programs designed to help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need for adult living. Yet, only half of those who are eligible to receive such services so. In fact, there are approximately 250,000 youth in foster care ages 13 and older who could and should benefit from independent living services.
Most Americans want all children to become happy, healthy, productive citizens when they grow up. This is true for all foster children and youth, whether they return to a family, are adopted, or live independently. We also want all young people to have lifelong family connections and a solid social network of support as they move out into the community, their own families, and the workforce.
Child welfare agencies acting in the role of parents have the responsibility to ensure that the children and teens in their care receive the supports and opportunities they need to achieve lifelong families and successful transitions to adulthood. These agencies share this responsibility with others: foster parents, group care providers, schools, community resource agencies, workforce organizations, and volunteers. All have important roles in supporting youth in transition — in fact, the whole community shares this responsibility for all vulnerable youth and young adults who are their fellow community members.
Addressing the Need for both Relationship Permanence and Preparation for Adulthood
Casey Family Services Center for Effective Child Welfare Practice
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
Chafee Foster Care Independence Program and the Chafee Educational and Training Voucher Program (ETV)
State by State Database on Transition and Chafee Information
State by State listing of transition policy and services
Federal information on the Chafee and Chafee ETV Programs
Mandatory state performance assessment and evaluation
State Performance Assessment (NYTD-National Youth in Transition Database)
2001 Report to Congress on Implementing NYTD
Federal Register Announcement of Notice of Proposed Rule-Making (full description of NYTD as proposed by HHS)
Strategies for Tracking Young People who have left Foster Care
Federal Legislation and Policy that Affects Services/programs for older youth and youth transitioning from Foster Care
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999
FY 2008 HHS Funding Request to Congress
Index of Federal Child Welfare Laws since 1974
Major Federal Legislation Concerned with Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption
Information on Efforts to Promote and Strengthen Permanency for Older Youth in Foster Care
Child Welfare Information Gateway Resources (includes many links to other resources)
California Permanency for Youth Project
Casey Family Services - Connections Count
Casey Family Services – Casey Center for Effecive Child Welfare Practice
Pew Charitable Trusts’ Kids Are Waiting Campaign
National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning
Transition, Self-Sufficiency, and Independent Living Programs and Services
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
Contact:
Robin Nixon
Executive Director
National Foster Care Coalition
rnixon@nationalfostercare.org
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