Credit hours:
2.50

Course Summary

For youth who have been living in foster care, the transition to adulthood presents many new and often daunting experiences. This course provides foster parents with guidance on how to help youth and emerging adults build a foundation for a successful transition to adult life outside of foster care.

In this course, you can expect to learn:

  • Unique challenges youth face when exiting foster care

  • Adolescent development and changes in the brain as related to supporting youth in care

  • Laws and programs to support transition aged youth

  • The critical role of foster parents in transition planning and action

  • Tools to empower foster youth to prepare for the transition to adulthood

Step 1

Read this FosterClub Real Story written by Shawn Denise Semelsberger on aging out of foster care unprepared for the drastic transition. 

Step 2

FosterClub recommends foster youth do 21 things before they transition out of care to make sure they have a successful journey to independence. Read FosterClub's "It's T Time" to become familiar with steps foster youth should take before they leave foster care.

Step 3

Read this FosterClub Real Story written by Ricky Ballesteros, who provides valuable youth perspective about why transition planning is important.

Step 4

Review "Helping Youth Transition to Adulthood: Guidance for Foster Parents" developed by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Step 5

Join the discussion in the comments below to answer the following question:

When do you think a young person should begin their transition plan, and what are some important considerations as a supportive adult in their life?

Step 6

Finished the module? If you are logged in as a subscribed user, take the quiz to earn your Continuing Education Credit hours and certificate!

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Course Discussion

roberta838's picture
1 year 11 months ago

roberta838 said:

I think a person should start their transition process as early as the beginning of the 12th grade. Start researching areas of interest. This would be an excellent way to start off their lives. They should seek out avenues of support before and after high school.
Glory141727's picture
1 year 11 months ago

Glory141727 said:

Earlier adolescence
rhiannon's picture
1 year 11 months ago

rhiannon said:

I think youth should begin their transition plan as early as possible so they are well prepared.
hanchettbj's picture
2 years 1 month ago

hanchettbj said:

Youth should begin making their transition plan at least at age 16 so that long term and short term goals can be made and met prior to the youth leaving the home.
Hanchettdan's picture
2 years 1 month ago

Hanchettdan said:

I think youths in general should start learning life skills like taxes and balancing a check book and budgeting and other items that are required as adults as early as 13 years old.
Mkeppley2's picture
2 years 3 months ago

Mkeppley2 said:

At least a year before they transition out. Also they should get help from. Also I believe your foster child should have a independent living coach. It really helped my foster son learn how to do everything he would need to live on his own.
mvenoy0706@outlook.com's picture
2 years 7 months ago

mvenoy0706@outl... said:

All transition plans look different. I think all children should learn life skills and responsibility at a young age. They should that they need to work for what they want. They also should be made aware of all the resources available to them.
sleckwee's picture
2 years 8 months ago

sleckwee said:

I have started the process of earning money very young. My 8 yr old could spend every dime we have (LOL). I have him on a plan - he earns $1 every time he puts away dishes. It is great to see him at the store calculating how many times he has to put dishes away to get certain toys. He also gets very excited when he feels he "earned" the money himself to pay for that toy. He is doing great! Also note: he is not lacking toys, he just wants them all :)
Janieb814's picture
2 years 8 months ago

Janieb814 said:

Transition plans will look different for every child. With typical youth you can start with age-appropriate conversations about life skills from the beginning. Base discussions and activities with each child according to their maturity and capabilities. Let them be involved with cooking and cleaning as soon as it can be done safely. Even elementary students can learn about money management on small scales and working for want they want. Once a teen is in high school especially, there should be frequent discussions and activities preparing them for adulthood.
rebekahjoy78's picture
2 years 8 months ago

rebekahjoy78 said:

Transition plans look different for each person. In our home, life-skill discussion happen early - as soon as they are mature enough to talk about it. We share what we do in our life with bills, schedules, jobs, and school. We help them navigate their firsts (interviews, tests, applications) and help them compile the paperwork that was mentioned in many of these articles (proof of being in care, ID, ss card, birth certificate, medical cards.) We don't do everything for them, but rather, we go along side them as they do the actual work at the pace that is healthy for them. At 18, they can choose to leave, but they don't have to. And even if they do, they are family, and we still treat them as family. They call with questions, come home to hang out and celebrate holidays/birthdays, do laundry :-) - all the things kids would do with family.