Two youth associated with Project LIFE are currently participating in the state’s Permanency for Older Youth workgroup. This workgroup was set up as a result of the elimination of the IL Goal as a permanency goal for youth in foster care. Just to clarify the elimination of the goal does not eliminate the independent living services that youth in foster care need such as:

Life skills training/workshops

Independent Living Needs Assessment (Casey Life Skills Assessment)

Mentoring

Academic Support

Career Preparation

Employment programs and/or vocational training

Supervised independent living

Housing Education and home management training

Educational financial assistance

Budget and financial management training

Health education and risk prevention

Family support and healthy marriage education

Room and board financial assistance

The remaining Foster Care Goals are:

Permanency Goal – Return home, adoption, placement with relatives

Permanent Foster Care – given when a permanency goal is no longer an option; youth has established a significant relationship with a foster parent

Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement – the goal if a child is going to grow up having significant physical, developmental, or emotional limitations so that they need to live in a supported group or secure setting long-term.

The two youth present have done a wonderful job sharing their thoughts and feelings about the process and about life in foster care in general, but two voices are not enough. We need to know what you think and feel. The next workgroup will focus on Best Practices and legal changes that need to be made that will make the remaining Foster Care goals more effective goals for older youth. In other words what changes do you think need to be made to the system to make things better for you? We need to know your opinions so we can take them back to the workgroup, or better yet contact your regional IL Consultant to find out when the next meeting is so you can make plans to be there and be heard in person.

Questions we need answered:

What best practices would make transitioning back home easier for you?

What barriers exist now that make it difficult for you to return home?

What needs to be put in place to make a transition to living with a family member easier for you and that family member?

What have you run into as an issue making being placed with a relative difficult?