Who are ‘Older Youth’?

‘Older youth’, sometimes referred to as ‘transition age youth,’ are people between the ages of 16-25 years old. In the context of the Family First Act, ‘older youth’ refers to youth between the ages of 16-25 years old who are also in foster care.

What Lived Experience Voices are Saying about Services to Older Youth:

  • Ensure independent living classes help older youth build resilience and protective factors

Frankly, IL [Independent Living} will help us get a laptop and fill out a FAFSA but will not assist us in learning how to maintain gainful employment. We learn how to make 4 different types of macaroni and cheese but are never taught how to obtain a lease or the prerequisites of qualifying for one. We are encouraged in IL services to take advantage of our health insurance but are given no explanation on how to navigate our medical system between referrals and PCP [Primary Care Physician] visits, so we find ourselves in the ER taking care of non-emergent issues. In sum, the services are not effective in teaching youth how to build resilience through protective factors and navigate adulthood.

- Courtney Canova, experienced foster care in Washington State

  • Ensure that the tools provided to older youth are relevant to their specific needs

…I was lacking tools I needed to be successful and given tools that were not relevant to both my medical diagnoses and education needs...

- Joshua Christian, experienced foster care in Indiana

  • Ensure services set older youth up for long-term success

Although I was able to learn about different, important pieces of transitioning to college in my Independent Living Program, I didn’t learn about filing taxes or writing cover letters or about life after I graduated college. I see now why so many youth struggle to graduate- the assistance they receive does not look beyond those first few months of the transition. Youth should be learning and planning for these additional transitions while they are still receiving services, and states should be required to do so.

-Youth in/from foster care

  • Involve older youth in transition planning

I felt that my transition team and I were on two different pages. There was often lack of communication. And they felt like they were trying to do what was in my best interest without fully involving me in the process.

 -Youth in/from foster care

The transition process was actually planned for me and I wasn’t allowed to say where I wanted to go -- the details were worked out by my placement team.

 -Youth in/from foster care

Source:

Quotes from lived experience leaders were pulled from the National Foster Care and Alumni Policy Council’s priorities: