Guideposts for Success for Youth in Foster Care

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The Guideposts are a framework to assist the multiple organizations that need to be invovled to meet the needs and improve the transition outcomes of youth including youth with disabilities and to create necessary community webs of support.

The Guideposts for Success for Youth in Foster Care highlight specific experiences, supports, and services that are relevant to providing comprehensive transition services to all foster care youth, including those with disabilities, within the framework of the Guideposts for Success. An increased understanding of the challenges facing this population of young people, combined with an enhanced level of coordination among the education, workforce, post-secondary and child welfare systems, will increase the likelihood of personal and systemic success in the transition from adolescence to productive adulthood and citizenship. This coordination is also a necessary precursor for the leveraging (“blending” or “braiding”) of resources among these partners. Finally, the Guideposts can support an infrastructure for the measurement of outcomes for foster care youth in transition, especially as it relates to their economic self-sufficiency.

Full implementation of the Guideposts for Success for Youth in Foster Care does not yet exist in any known community in its entirety. However, key components are emerging in an array of communities across the country. As more is learned through collaborations among key institutions, and as professionals develop more familiarity and expertise about what different stakeholders can bring to the table, it can be anticipated the full framework will be realized.

The five Guidepost areas of focus are:

• School-based preparatory experiences
• Career-preparation and work-based experiences
• Youth development and leadership opportunities
• Connecting activities (support and community services)
• Family involvement and supports