Helping Transition Foster Youth Teenagers to Independent Living
Leaving home as you enter adulthood can be an exciting time for many teenagers. It can also be scary and come with many challenges that they may not have expected. It’s important for parents and foster parents to ensure they help with this crucial transition for teenagers to be successful.
What are some ways that Foster Teens enter independent Living?
For children in foster care, building independent living skills starts at age 14. An assessment called the Ansel Casey Life Skills is completed to determine where your teenager falls in their strengths and needs regarding independent living skills. Areas assessed are daily living skills, self-care skills, relationship and communication, housing, money management and transportation, work and study life, career and education planning, civic engagement, navigating the child welfare system and looking forward. Teenagers will create goals and work toward improving their independent living skills while they are in foster care. Some teenagers enter independent living by aging out of foster care at age 19 years old, being adopted/guardianship and leaving the home or through their permancey plan. Many teenagers exit foster care without a support system behind them. This can lead to poor outcomes such as substance abuse, homelessness, and incarceration. It is important whether a teenager leaves foster care with or without a permanent family, they have a support system wrapped around them to help be successful in their young adulthood.
What do I need to do to prepare my foster teen for independent living?
The areas that we want to focus on while preparing teenagers for independent living include: education, employment, housing, relationships, transportation, health care, support and finances. One important step to start with is to ensure your teenager has all their needed documents such as:
Birth certificate Foster Care Verification Letter Social Security Card
State Issued ID Indian Heritage Verification Educational Records
Credit Report Immunization Records Medical Records
Medicaise Card Social Security Card Citizenship Information
If teenagers are still in foster care prior to independent living, the caseworker will be responsible for providing these documents. If a teenager has been adopted/guardianship, these documents should be maintained by their caregiver. Copies of verification for financial aid and foster care records can also be accessed online through DHHS website.
Things to think about:
1. Education for Foster Teenagers
There are a few different avenues that a teenager may take in their education. Teenagers may either graduate high school or decide to get their GED once they turn 19 years old. It is important for teenagers to weigh the outcomes of each, especially if they are looking into college or vocational schools. Certain colleges may not take a GED and others will accept it. There are community resources to help prepare and test for your GED such as the HUB. The Hub offers free GED classes and assistance for GED exams may be available. If a teenager decides to further their education post high school or GED, it is important to do your research about what degree you want to pursue and the cost. There are many financial aid and scholarships available for foster teenagers. One start with financial aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. Within the FAFSA is an option to answer the question that you were in foster care for assistance. Other financial assistance can be found through Central Plains, Central Navigator and Project Everlast.
2. Housing
Planning for housing is important when your foster teenager is transitioning to independent living. Whether your teenager is going to continue to stay in your home, a college dorm or with friends, there are discussions to have on the expectations. If your teenager is staying at home, have discussions about your expectations or household rules that may change or remain the same as they become young adults. Some parents choose to have their teenagers pay rent to help prepare for the financial responsibility of housing. If your teenager is staying in a college dorm it is important to determine the cost and aid ahead of time. Dorms also do not allow students to stay when on breaks, so it is important to plan where the teenager can stay during those times. If your teenager plans to share an apartment with friends, have the friends agreed to stay during the entire lease and is your teenager aware of the regulations surrounding lease agreements. Lastly there are low-income housing and transitional housing available for teenagers. Bridge to Independence (B2I) Program is one that provides transitional housing to teenagers if they can maintain program requirements.
3. Banking and Finances
Balancing finances and knowing where to go if you need financial assistance for day-to-day living is important to review with your teenager before they enter independent living. If your teenager is having a hard time paying for housing or groceries, they can find support through Central Access Navigator. The Opportunity Passport Program provides financial opportunities, support and connections to help transition to adulthood.
4. Employment
Teenagers, in foster care, have numerous skills and strengths they may not realize that can assist them in obtaining a job. Help your teenager fill out applications and practice interviewing with them. If your teenager is not prepared for a job yet, help them find volunteer opportunities to help gain job skills and experience. The Hub can assist with connecting teenagers with opportunities to build their employment skills.
5. Transportation
Obtaining a driver’s license and car is an exciting time for many teenagers but also comes with many financial responsibilities. Teenagers must buy gas, insurance, and registration. This goal may not always be feasible for teenagers without assistance. The Opportunity Passport Program through Project Everlast helps teenagers in foster care save money for this big purchase and then chips in 25% of what the teenager saves. There are other options for transportation such as bus passes or bicycles.
6. Health Care
Foster teenagers that were in foster care at age 18 or have aged out are eligible for Medicaid until they are 26 years old. If they are also in Bridge to Independence, they are eligible for Medicaid. If your teenager does not qualify for Medicaid, have discussions about the ability to be on the family’s plan, or educate them on their employer’s medical plans. There are clinics that provide health services on a sliding scale such as Bluestem Health for those not covered under health insurance. Clinic with a Heart also provides free health exams on an adjusted schedule.
Overall, it is important to assess your teenager’s readiness for transitional living. Some foster youth, due to the trauma they have experienced, may need more time and guidance before entering independent living. It is also important to realize the transition to independent living may feel like abandonment and be retraumatizing for some teenagers. Have conversations with your teenager before the transition and after to evaluate their readiness.