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Independent living skills• There needs to be extra funding for more programs.• The basics need to start with foster carers, just like other young people learning skills at home.This would include opening a bank account, cooking, cleaning.• More mandatory training for foster carers. This training would include how to teach young peoplelife skills, and helping to change the culture of foster care from carers seeing their role as a job, tothat of a parent.• Involve volunteers/mentors/paid workers in training young people.• Have someone go to a young person’s home and do an assessment, undertake skills developmentsessions with the young person, and leave information.• Include life skills training in flexi/alternative schools.• Actively refer young people to services.• Driving lessons.Mentoring programs• More funding for mentoring programs.• Mentoring programs through CREATE.• Paid and volunteer mentors – depending on the needs of the young person.• Support for paid mentors to receive a qualification.• Flexibility within mentoring programs for young people to nominate someone to undertaketraining to become a mentor e.g. community soccer coach.• Mix of ages of mentors.• Participation of young people in interviewing for a mentor.Information about services and supports• Leaving Care Kits for all young people.• Booklet informing young people of their rights regarding transitioning to independence, given at15 years.• Contact book given to young people: nation-wide, state-wide, and locally based services andsupports.• Case workers need to be better networked to their communities.• This needs to be part of all young people’s transition plan.Connecting young people to services and supports• Physically taking young people in to services – this should be part of every young person’stransition plan. This would include doctor, dentist, mental health, Medicare, health care fund,drug and alcohol supports.• Link young people in to youth activities, and involve the carers.• More funding for programs for young people to connect with other young people in or post care.• Mentoring programs: young people need supportive adults in their life, not just peers.• Need to have two young people linked in to a young person’s life, who aren’t paid. Include intransition plan.• Interactive websites with games.• Stable placements.• More dedicated training for foster carers, all workers.44
Reunification with birth families• The transition needs to commence before a young person turns 18. This could be through gradualvisitation.• Safety plans are in places and young people are aware of services in their area.• A second back up plan is in place.• Support from the Department – they keep their door open.• Case workers visit young people to ensure everything’s okay and the young person is safe; andthen reassesses the house and situation.• Young people are given mobile phones with saved numbers for services/assistance.• A family tree for all young people, and/or Life Story books.• Support groups in the community for birth families who are being reunified.• Family counselling/mediation support from the Department prior to transitioning.• Support from a mentor.After Care PhaseImportant considerations for After Care Phase• Transition plans need to be monitored/evaluated.• Exit interviews conducted with young people who have transitioned (independently evaluated).• There needs to be appropriate support – enough support that the young person needs.• Support to 21 or 25 years.• Need for greater financial stability.• Support for housing.• Carers to be financially supported to care for young people after transitioning from the system (ifboth parties choose).Disclosure of care status• It’s the individual’s choice.• I had no problem after care, but I did have a problem whilst in care.• I didn’t have a problem, but it can be hard to prove. Need to have documentation/evidenceonline as well as in hard copy.• Need to reduce with stigma within society.• Specialised services will meet your needs better, eg. specialised counselling• There needs to be a whole of government response. The young person shouldn’t have to keep ontelling everyone they’ve been in care. They should look to review and expand South Australia’swhole of government model. Priority access should be given to young people in and post care for:housing, drivers licence and lessons, TAFE and uni (books, resources, tutoring, priorityplacements), dentist, health care, Centrelink (fast track paperwork and payments).Overcoming barriers• Lack of social/emotional support Mentors. More support for family contact. Mental health workers. More referrals.45
Page 3: TABLE OF CONTENTSPart A: BACKGROUND
Page 6 and 7: • reviewing and reporting on TILA
Page 8 and 9: The YAG consultations included spec
Page 10 and 11: These workers projected that the ov
Page 12 and 13: Planning needs to ensure that young
Page 14 and 15: The remainder of this Report detail
Page 16 and 17: ProcedureThe focus group questions
Page 18 and 19: PREPARATION PHASEISSUESYOUNG PEOPLE
Page 20 and 21: “...it should be made that a youn
Page 22 and 23: • Lack of support for young peopl
Page 24 and 25: PlanningISSUESAFTER CARE INDEPENDEN
Page 26 and 27: SummaryThe solutions identified by
Page 28 and 29: Appendix AStage 1: Initial Consulta
Page 30 and 31: • Young people transitioning from
Page 32 and 33: Age• Age - not being 18 can limit
Page 34 and 35: No preference• I don’t care if
Page 36 and 37: 2. Did you (do you) have a Leaving
Page 38 and 39: • Link young people in with local
Page 40 and 41: Case Study 4: A Mental Well-being P
Page 42 and 43: Appendix EStage 2: NYAC ForumQuesti
Page 44 and 45: Appendix FStage 3: NYAC ForumForum
Page 46 and 47: • Different educational pathways
Page 50 and 51: Connections to community the young
Page 52 and 53: Appendix GBest Practice ExamplesBes
Page 54: Leaving Care BrokerageBrokerage is
Page 57 and 58: Best Practice Example: Young People
Page 59: Centrelink Brochure targeting young
Page 63 and 64: 3. Service response: increase the c
Page 65 and 66: Types of employment Applying for wo
Page 67 and 68: 2. CREATE Your Future Intensive Pro
Page 69: 5. CREATE Your Future Grant SchemeT

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