How to Prepare a Foster Child for Adulthood

Even if you have taught a foster child most of the skills they will need as an adult, you must still prepare them for the moment when they are on their own. Talk with them to make sure they understand what is needed. Make sure you have done all you can do to ensure their success. Involve others in their lives to do their part as well. After all, they are still children. Make sure you protect their needs and rights just as fiercely as you did before now.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Compassion
• Life books
• thing
• Camera
• Scrapbook

1. Let the teen handle whether or not to let others know if they are a foster child. They are nearly an adult and should be treated like one.

2. Enroll the teen in an independent living seminar. Talk to their worker for more information.

3. Discuss with the teen's worker what steps need to be taken before the teen ages out. Help the teen put together all paperwork needed for adulthood such as birth certificate, social security card and ID or driver's license.

4. Allow the teen to choose their own extra curricular activities. These are often good ways to decide what they want to do in life. Make sure that you only use loss of these activities for major offenses such as fighting, drugs or chronic bad grades.

5. Enforce chores, allowance, house rules and rules for dating, activities and parties.

6. Help the teen arrange to buy a car or find another transportation solution.

7. Help the teen make arrangements for college living or an apartment. Help the teen select furniture and household items they may need. The agency may help with initial expenses and the cost of living for a few months, so check with them first.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't think your job is over yet.
• Don't let them do whatever they want. They are not an adult yet.
• Talk with them and make sure they understand what they will need in order to survive on their own.
• Enroll them in classes on anything that will help them as an adult.
• Encourage them to take classes at local Technical colleges if they are free.
• Make sure their case worker takes care of paperwork for college.