Appendices

Appendix A
Stage 1: Initial Consultations
YAG Questions

1. What makes a successful transition? What does it look like?
2. What are the barriers to young people accessing services and supports?
3. Would you prefer to go a specialised service (eg. an after care service just for young people who’d been in care) or prefer to go to a mainstream service (eg. a general youth service)?
4. Do you think there’s a stigma attached to specialised services, or do you think young people are okay with accessing services tailor made to out-of-home care and aftercare supports?
5. What do you think about the idea of transitioning to ‘independence’? Is it a good thing to be aiming for, or should we be focussing more on connecting young people to their community, friends, family, and other supports? Or should we be doing both?

Appendix B
Stage 1: Initial Consultations
YAG Responses

A successful transition

Worker

• An active caseworker - someone you can talk to who involves you in the process.
• A case worker ensuring that everything is well organised in advance.
• We need to still have contact with our caseworkers after we’ve transitioned.
• Access to support worker who is independent of the system, eg. general youth worker.
• DoCS being organised with files, paperwork, timeliness.

Leaving care plan

• Individualised leaving care plan which gets reviewed.
• A successful transition should be well planned out and that if things don’t work out, there needs to be a contingency plan. A successful transition is smooth and easy on the young person.
• Having a well thought out plan.
• Try and let the young people have more of a say.
• The best part I felt was I didn’t have to worry. I was supported to organise housing, work and finance as my case plans were reviewed and met my needs. Not having to worry allowed me to focus on achieving the best out of what I was supported with and having a normal life.

Accommodation

• Help to secure longer term accommodation.
• Not leaving the adolescent homeless. Allowing a teen to stay with their foster family paying rent and having a part/full time work, allowing the teen to save money and gain rental references.
• Having a secure place to live.
• Subsidised housing for a fixed term and renewable if needed.

Service supports

• The young person knowing about and having access to all appropriate services (having received this information prior to transitioning, not during or after).
• Knowledge of other crisis supports available - and developing crisis or contingency plans.
• Introduction to agencies and services , relevant to adults including the Electoral Commission, Medicare, housing services, Centrelink, employment services, and other NGOs which are mandated to work with people 18 years and over.
• This ‘introduction’ of young people to the services is a long process -it can’t be effective if it’s rushed. One or two years’ gradual work is required to effectively establish young people’s familiarity and expertise with managing these diverse networks confidently.
• Ability to access services if needed.
• Young people transitioning from care needs as much support as possible; everything from finding somewhere to live to what to wear to interviews.

Social connections

• Social connectedness and emotional support.
• An effective support network available to care leavers AFTER exiting State care, because it had been gradually built up DURING their care.
• A strong support network.

Health

• The young people having received a health check before exiting care.
• The young person receiving a health ‘passport’ that details their entire medical history from whilst they have been in care.
• Medical supports and services already in place, prior to leaving care.
• Connection to mental health supports.
• Sexuality support.

Official identification

• Help to access ID.
• The young people being given their OFFICIAL documents, eg. birth certificate, and that these are not a photocopy.
• Have all of your records.

Tangibles for independent living

• Having the basic living equipment immediately: washing machine, fridge, bed, linen, pots, pans, cutlery, plates, and dining room table and chairs.

Education

• Assistance engaging or learning about education opportunities.

Financial support

• Financial support systems in place/accessible.

Skills

• Knowing basic living skills.

Barriers to young people accessing services and supports

Lack of effective plan/planning

• Caseworkers focus on crisis work often means young people at transition age aren’t the focus.
• Caseworkers are often not informed and/or trained as to how to put together an individualised leaving care plan.
• Young people not being involved or participating in care plans.
• Inadequate planning and time to properly conduct transition from care planning and services - attempts to put transition from care supports and services in place is too rushed.
• No (effective or informed) choice about participating in transition from care processes, especially planning - and especially because young people may not be ready to undertake this level of planning (too young or not yet mature enough to take part effectively).
• Lack of participation in transition from care planning because young people have unaddressed mental health issues.

Lack of information/awareness

• Lack of information on support and services i.e. what, where and how to access.
• Unaware of Centrelink entitlements or how to appeal decisions.
• Lack of knowledge of the services and/or how to engage with or obtain referrals to the services.
• The Department’s failure to inform young people about Transition from Care programs, processes and Departmental obligations.
• Inadequate support/advice/advocacy for young people in obtaining support to transition from care.

Lack of appropriate services/referrals

• Inappropriate referrals, ie. refuges not safe or not teaching life skills.
• Lack of specialised services.
• The waiting list.
• Lack of resources.
• A lack of After Care support workers.

Lack of skills / confidence

• Fear and lack of self confidence.
• Not wanting to access services because of past knock backs or negative experiences.
• Not having an advocate or someone to take you. Young people are more confident and willing to access a service if a trusted caseworker/carer etc. attends the first service visit with them.

Lack of finances

• Inability to pay for services and a decreasing number of health services that bulk bill- particularly mental health.
• We don’t have the money to access some of the services.

Lack of transport

• Drivers licence is not seen as a priority - young people need more hours paid for and assistance to get rid of fines, get ID and access to a car.
• Lack of transport in rural areas and lack of licence = inability to access work and education especially on weekends or after hours.
• We can’t get to the services. Don’t have any money for the bus. Have had to ask Salvo’s to pay for half my bus fare so I could get to Centrelink.
• Having to travel long distances to access a service - outreach workers would help this

Lack of official ID

• Not having 100 points of ID.
• Eligibility barriers or nor having adequate paperwork/ID.

Age

• Age - not being 18 can limit what you can access as permission is required, or the service only targets specific age groups.

Disadvantage due to care background

• Penalties imposed upon young people by the ‘system’ which would be much less likely to have been incurred (or possibly, have less detrimental impact) if the young people did not have out-of- home care experience. This is in part attributed by them, to the likelihood of young people lacking adequate supports (such as parental or family financial support) as a consequence of their Child Protection history and/or out-of-home care.

Specialised Services and Mainstream Services

Specialised services

• Specialised services were seen to:
  • offer connection - including social connection - to people with similar life experiences
  • promote acceptance and belonging to young people who may feel like they’re not the only one whose been in care
  • offer service staff who would ‘get me’ and understand the implications of lived care experience, because they deal with those implications and experiences daily: we have many different issues to young people who haven’t been in care
  • attract adequate resources to provide effective services - as the special needs of young people post-care were seen to be more onerous (and likely to be unsupported by mainstream services)
  • have the ability to make a dramatic difference to my lives and situations given the service’s ability to address care related issues with the young person. There should be a one stop shop which young people could access prior to leaving care to begin to identify needs and access required information (this may include entitlements for leaving care plans or information on other services) and begin process of referrals etc. This is necessary as caseworkers tend not to work closely with this age group and they are not yet able to access after care services.
  • be different for everyone. I like going to CREATE because it makes me feel comfortable to be around other people who have the same experiences.
• Specialised services attracted criticism because:
  • there’s a huge stigmatisation / discrimination in that attending specialist services can attract a negative stigma which young people leaving care would be completely ‘over’ after getting out of State care
  • it may have a negative outcome when trying to secure mainstream housing and jobs, through the prejudice placed upon us by the wider community in regards to trust, stability and ability to function
  • when it comes to health and getting a job, I want to just be around everyday people
  • it makes us look different when we have to go to a “special” service tailor made for us
  • there’s definitely a stigma there, that is why I prefer a mainstream service but it is also a personal thing. Everyone is different.
• When young people were further asked to give further feedback about the potential stigma attached to specialised services, the following responses were given:
  • there is a definite stigma associated with accessing specialised services: its impact or significance varies for each young person, with the greatest impact happening during the teen years amongst peer groups, but it has less effect when you’re older
  • there’s more stigma attached to residential units than to young people in out of home care
  • I think there is a huge stigma attached to young people in out of home care, but I don’t think there is a stigma attached to services that are specialised to assist young people in out of home care
  • workers need to support young people and make sure that a negative stigma doesn’t stop young people accessing services they need
  • I think services need to be run to best serve clients, and if that means specialising then that is what must be done; stigma can be removed
  • the adolescents are not incompetent, yet they may still need extra help
  • there isn’t any particular stigma attached to using existing specialised services, although the name of the service could have an impact on this and more general names are better e.g. one of the government transitioning service in South Australia is Northern Youth support Services, a name that does not specifically identify it as being for young people in care
  • attending specialist services can attract a negative stigma which young people leaving care would be completely over after getting out of State care; but accessing specialised services would still be okay. The logistics and public awareness of attending or engaging with the service, could affect young peoples’ willingness to engage with the service.

Mainstream services

Preferred service

• Mainstream services were seen to offer:
  • more variety and a normality which can be stabilising for young people
  • more access and availability
  • better processes and policies which make bigger and more established bureaucracies accountable for their service provision or lack of service, eg. obtaining a receipt number for enquiries, means your needs and requests are centrally logged and not lost in the system.

Not preferred

• Mainstream services attracted criticism because:
  • they’re more likely to ask a lot of questions you can’t answer or request irrelevant information, eg. like parent’s permission / information
  • workers without specialist out of home care knowledge wouldn’t know about relevant entitlements, unless they had special education and training. They should have specialised professionals within a non-specialised service.
  • there wouldn’t be same guarantee of a ‘youth culture friendly’ reception from services focussing on all ages
  • the resources provided to mainstream services, would not allow the level of service provision - so services wouldn’t be available to all applicants, at levels appropriate or required of young people leaving care
  • they have higher case loads and longer wait times.

No preference

• I don’t care if it’s specialised or not, all I care about is that its accessible, well promoted to young people, and that it has the adequate funds and resources to do its job and provide the assistance to young people.
• Because of the diverse benefits and drawbacks to both options and the unique needs of young people, the most effective system is to offer young people the option of attending both kinds of services.
• Both are important.
• Young people should be able to choose as long as they have all the information about what is available.

Transitioning to Independence and/or Interdependence

• The Government should be focussing equally on both ‘independence’ and ‘connecting to community’ but that currently they are highly focused on the ‘independence’ strand at the expense of connecting to community. Furthermore that there should be less focus on forcing you to ‘grow up’ and more of meeting the young person where they are at with the appropriate supports and services.
• Being independent is about having support from people that aren’t the Department. Gaining independence is great but I know that I have been better off since I have had good friends and have been involved in the community. As they say 'you alone can do it but you can do it alone'.
• Both are important. Young people need to be connected with their family but it is even more important to become independent to transition into adulthood, eg. work, rent, etc.
• You cannot be a productive part of the community without being connected to it but a part of being independent is knowing how to be part of a community.
• The focus of independence and community establishment needs to be individualised, with both being addressed throughout the young person’s development.
• The word ‘independence’ can be interpreted as “not relying on anybody else” - this is in fact discriminatory against children and young people in care. To describe any individual as ‘independent’ is denying their right to access supports.
• Community contact and support is very important to Indigenous young people.
• The interaction between one’s self and their community is how a young person grows into a contributing adult. You need to be independent to have confidence to engage with your community.
• Independence is a vital part of living in today’s society, it is crucial that young people in care are given the support to become adults in a world where your feet are the only ones that support you. I believe independence is an empowering and valuable part of the transition out of care. It gives young people the power to live their lives in their own direction which has been deprived of them by departments who have made all the decisions for them for years. Independence is a reality for everyone at some stage; you can’t live with friends or family forever.

Appendix C
Stage 1: Initial Consultations One-to-One Structured Interviews

Section 1: Interviewee's Details

1. Gender

• Male/Female

2. Years of age

• ___ years old

3. Cultural background

• Aboriginal
• Torres Strait Islander
• Both Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)
• Australian (other than Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander)
• Other (please specify) _______________________________

4. Placement type

• Foster Care
• Kinship Care
• Group Home
• Residential Care
• Permanent Care
• Semi-independent Accommodation
• Independent Living
• Other (please give specific details) _________________________

Section 2: Interviewee's Responses

1. Did anyone speak to you about what would happen when your Child Protection Order finished at 18 years of age?

• Yes/No
• Comments:

2. Did you (do you) have a Leaving Care Plan?

• Yes - go to Q.2(a) & Q.2(b)
• No- go to Q.3
• Don’t know - go to Q.3
• Comments:

2(a) How involved were you in developing you Plan?

• Very involved
• Quite involved
• Reasonably involved
• Some involvement
• Little involvement
• Not at all involved

2(b) How useful did you think your Plan was/is?

• Very useful
• Quite useful
• Reasonably useful
• Of some use
• Of little use
• Not at all useful

3. What were your specific needs when you thought about your transition from care to independence?

• Comments:

4. What were the specific barriers to accessing support services that you needed to support you when transitioning?

• Comments:

5. Do you have any suggestions for actions that the Commonwealth and ... (name of State Government) ... governments could take to overcome some of the barriers that you faced when transitioning from care?

• Comments:

Appendix D
Stage 1: Initial Consultations
One-to-One Structured Interviews
Case Studies

Case Study 1: A Culturally Diverse Perspective

Background

Helena is a 25 year old female, mother of four who lives in Victoria. She entered care when she was 11 years old, primarily residing in foster care. While in care, Helena became interested in Islam but was discouraged from pursuing her religious interest as she was living with Catholic foster carers at the time. Shortly after exiting care at 18 years of age, Helena converted to Islam. She found her engagement in religion gave her stability which she was lacking upon transitioning from care.

Leaving care planning

No one spoke to Helena about what would happen once her Child Protection Order finished at 18 years, nor did she have a Leaving Care Plan.

Barriers

Helena found that the main barriers to accessing support services were due primarily to lack of information and her faith. Firstly, the lack of information resulted in her not knowing what was available and what she was entitled to. Secondly, as Helena had not been able to test her faith while in care, she had to discover her faith by herself first upon leaving care. She felt that this prevented her from accessing support from religious organisations immediately upon leaving care. Helena also discussed the difficulty of accessing TILA. Although she got together all the required documentation of her care status, received the necessary quotes for equipment and then engaged agency support to assist her application, she received a rejection letter eight weeks later as she was not within 24 months of exiting care - reflecting the recent changes to TILA.

Solutions for government

From her experiences while in care, Helena suggested that there a number of actions that governments could take to better support all young people transitioning from care, in general, as well as for young people from CALD backgrounds, in particular.

• Provide more encouragement and dedicated time for workers to find out the interests and passions of children and young people.
• Have better placement matching for children and young people of varying faiths.
• Develop targeted foster care recruitment strategies for people of different religious persuasions, such as Muslim and Jewish carers, as this will be an issue of even more importance with the emergence of new and emerging refugee populations.
• Link young people in with local community linkages, such a Youth Islamic Centre or local churches, as they are a positive influence and have social support frameworks in place, such as people you can turn to after you’ve left care.
• Start the planning process earlier.
• Have dedicated workers to support young people after 18 years of age.
• Provide more accommodation options for young people transitioning from care, based on their different needs including transitional housing and share accommodation.
• Provide more support for young people with a care experience who become young mums and dads.
• Make the TILA processes fairer.

Case Study 2: A Disability Perspective

Background

Georgia has an intellectual disability and, being 18 years old, is currently completing Grade 12 at a special school in Victoria. Georgia had been living in a residential unit with three other girls, but is now residing in supported accommodation with two other women, aged 44 and 46 years. She is happy in the supported accommodation, as she thinks her current living arrangements are so much better than before - she has more freedom and gets along well with the older women.

Leaving care planning

Georgia did have workers talk to her about what would happen once her Child Protection Order finished. She did have a Leaving Care Plan. The planning commenced when she was 17 years old. It was during this process that the workers asked her where she wanted to live and she was supported to visit her current accommodation before permanently residing there. To help Georgia to develop life skills to assist her to live independently, such as cooking and cleaning, a support worker has been arranged to ‘come in’ on a regular basis.

Solutions for government

Georgia based her suggestions for solutions to better support young people with a disability transitioning from care on the positive aspects she has experienced with her transition process. She wants all young people with a disability who are transitioning from care to independence to have:

• greater participation and choice for young people in leaving care planning
• gradual transitioning for young people to post care accommodation
• more programs and workers to support young people in developing life skills.

Case Study 3: An Aboriginal Perspective

Background

Mandy is a 19 year old Kabi Kabi woman (Aboriginal language group of South East Queensland), and also identifies as an Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI). She was in and out of care from the age of one, primarily residing in foster care. Within Mandy’s last two years of care (aged 16-18 years), she had three foster care placements, and five residential placements. When she turned 18 years old, she stayed for four months in a mental health hospital, transitioned to a hotel for a week, stayed with a friend for approximately six months, and then became homeless. After six months of homelessness, Mandy moved back home to her birth family.

Leaving care planning

Workers did talk to Mandy about what would happen once her Child Protection Order finished. Her formal transition planning did not commence until she was 17 years old. As no attention was given to her cultural heritage within the planning process, nor efforts made to link her to her extended family and cultural communities, once she entered hospital her Leaving Care Plan was of no use to her. Furthermore, no one from the Department came to talk to her about her options.

Needs

Mandy’s specific needs regarding transitioning from care to independence centre round her identity and connection to her extended family and cultural communities. She stated there were no efforts made to link her in with her extended family in Rockhampton, Cairns and Brisbane.

Barriers

Mandy considers that her barriers to accessing support services were:

• a lack of information regarding Indigenous specific organisations
• a lack of acknowledgement of her ASSI background as being part of her cultural heritage
• a lack of ASSI specific organisations. She also stated that it was difficult to establish her Aboriginal/ASSI cultural identity when she is fair skinned; it is especially difficult for young people who have lost connections to family and community after being in care as they struggle to answer the question, “Who’s your mob?”.

Solutions for government

For governments to better support young people from her cultural group transition from care, Mandy suggested a number of actions.

• Introduce a ‘relationship program’ to support young people with essential insights and understandings they need when they reunite with their birth families.
• Developing new policies and practice guidelines to acknowledge ASSI cultural backgrounds of children and young people.
• Enforcing policies regarding connecting children and young people to culture, as well as the Child Placement Principle.

Case Study 4: A Mental Well-being Perspective

Background

Tania is a 20 year old female living in Queensland who entered foster care when she was two years old due to neglect and left when she was 18 years old. When Tania was 14 years old, she started seeing a counsellor - she wasn’t given options of who she could see, just who was available. Tania believes that she would be worse off without counselling and the help provided as her mental health wasn’t the best and sometimes she thought about escaping from it all. She believes that if she didn’t have the counsellor - who was often the most stable person in her life - she wouldn’t be alive today.

Solutions for government

Tania’s suggested action for all governments to better support young people transitioning from care is that all children and young people in care have access to free counselling. She stated that:

As a child or young person in care, you don’t really get help unless you ask, or scream for it. But a young person isn’t always going to know that counselling may help, or say that they need it. They need to be able to access counselling without feeling ashamed. This support needs to be thought of as long-term, not something that can fix things in a few weeks or months and it shouldn’t stop just because you turn 18 and the community thinks you have become an adult. If you stop counselling it’s very hard to pick up again because you have to find a therapist, somehow find the money for it and start again. You have to share your story all over again.

Case Study 5: A Youth Justice Perspective

Background

Toby is a 20 year old Aboriginal male who is married and lives with his wife and son in Victoria. He was involved with the Youth Justice system when he was 15 years old. In that time he had at least sixty charges brought against him including assault, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen goods, possession of weapons, possession of drugs, and criminal damage.

When he was eight years old, Toby entered foster care as a result of violent behaviour towards his siblings. When he was 10 years old he was reunified with his family before returning to high risk residential placements at the age of 15 years.

Upon transitioning from care, he was given very little notice about needing to vacate the residential facility, and became homeless for six months, before living with his grandparents, and then his wife. He now goes to church regularly, and wants to use his experiences to help others through writing a book using voice recognition software (he is illiterate having only completed Grade five).

Leaving care planning

Workers had spoken to Toby about needing to leave care at that age of 18 years, but he thought that he wouldn’t have to leave if he didn’t have stable accommodation to transition to. He was given very limited options within his planning for leaving care - he was told that he would have to live with someone else with a similar background to his. However, as he did not want to be around negative influences, he refused this accommodation option, which left him homeless for six months.

Barriers

Toby stated that young people with a Youth Justice background experience barriers to accessing support services through a lack a trust and lack of social skills. He indicated that young people in Youth Justice are forced to become independent from an early age and, as a result, are reluctant to ask others for help. He also stated that young people don’t need counselling and are reluctant to engage with more ‘workers’, although they do need emotional support through stable, supportive relationships.

Solutions for government

From a juvenile justice perspective, Toby suggested a number of actions for Governments to better support young people transitioning from care.

• Provide more accommodation options for young people transitioning from care.
• Provide more independent housing in low crime areas.
• Provide mentors for young people.

Appendix E
Stage 2: NYAC Forum
Questions for Consideration

Preparation phase

1. What are the important things that need to be considered when first starting to plan with a young person their transition to independence?
2. If there was a standard (same) Transition from Care Plan, what should be in it?
3. Should planning start before a young person turns 15? What should happen before a young person turns 15?
4. Should there be dedicated Transition from Care workers? If you think so, what actions do we want Governments to take?
5. What actions should be taken to assist young people in care to stay at school?
6. What actions should be taken to assist young people in care and post care to get a job?
7. What actions should be taken to assist young people in care and post care to receive Youth Allowance?

Transition phase

1. What are the important things that need to be considered when a young person is getting closer to leaving care? What do they need?
2. What actions should be taken to help young people further develop their independent living skills?
3. What do you think of mentoring programs for young people? If you think it’s a good idea, what actions should be taken to support this?
4. What actions should be taken to get information about services and supports to young people?
5. What actions should be taken to better connect young people to supports and services?
6. What actions should be taken to better support young people who choose to return to their birth families when they transition from care?

After care

1. What are the important things that need to be considered for a young person to feel confident once they have left care?
2. What actions could be taken to overcome barriers that young people experience in accessing services? Some of these barriers include: lack of social/emotional support, lack of finances, lack of information/awareness, lack of appropriate services/referrals, lack of effective planning, lack of official ID, lack of transport, lack of confidence.
3. Do you have any issue with disclosing your leaving care status when it comes to accessing services?

Last thoughts

1. What makes a successful transition? What actions should Governments put in place to achieve a successful transition for all young people across Australia?

Appendix F
Stage 3: NYAC Forum
Forum / Workshop Outcomes

Preparation Phase

Important considerations for Preparation Phase

• A better transition plan.
• What individualised support they’ll require based on their mental health or disability.
• Start referring young people to services.
• Link in with Youth Allowance.
• Life skills development.
• Guidance and encouragement.
• Mentors.

Transition from Care Planning

• Specific things a young person wants - needs goal setting with realistic timelines.
• Hopes, dreams and desires - and later link this to their career path.
• Ensure a young person has spoken to a Careers Advisor.
• ‘Tick and flick’ support checklist including community support and health supports. Should be made that a young person can’t leave care if they haven’t got supports in place.
• Health needs - all young people need to be linked in with a doctor.
• Minimum entitlements. eg. tangibles such as washing machine, whitegoods, laptop.
• There needs to be better relationships made between young people and Departmental case workers.
• The planning should not just be about talking, but doing, eg. having the case worker or another nominated person take the young person around to community services.
• All young people in Australia should receive a Leaving Care Backpack/Kit at 15 years. It would include: recipes, information about rights and responsibilities, information about services, stationary, information about financial support such as TILA, list of contacts.
• Improved legislation. Someone needs to enforce the law that all young people have a plan, that it’s been reviewed, and implemented.
• There needs to be responsibility and accountability within Child Protection Departments that all young people have transition plans - this should be somebody high up within the Department.
• An organisation with more power than the Commission should be ensuring all young people have a plan and their rights met. This could be an Ombudsman; or alternatively, the Commissions should be given more power.
• Need for individual advocates: people who know the law and have the power to enforce it.
• More Youth lawyers. Many young people do not realise that they can access lawyers.
• Train young people with a care experience to act as advocates for other young people in care.

Preparation planning prior to 15 years

• Planning should start before a young person turns 15.
• Heaps of 13 year olds are more mature these days, than I was at their age. We should start planning then.
• Start planning when the legislation states: at 15. The problem is the Department isn’t sticking to the legislation.
• Start at 15. Just let young people be young people.
• You don’t have to start formally planning before 15, but young people should be taught life skills - just like other young people. More life skills training has to happen with carers.

Dedicated transition from care workers

• Employ more people.
• Make funds available for dedicated workers.
• For a case worker to work through the ‘red tape’ and address the ‘everyday things’; and for a transition worker to address planning and preparation for the future with a young person.
• Two workers - one to do administrative work.
• Make steps to recruit and retain more workers. Young people should have the same worker, working intensively with them from 15-18 years, gradually decreasing their support to 25 years.
• Post care support up to 21 or 25 years. Involve young people in deciding how much support they want and for how long.
• Look at South Australian model of dedicated transition workers and look to extend to every state/territory.
• Extend the Queensland Commissioner for Children, Young People and Child Guardian Community Visitor Program to every state/territory. More informal planning could occur at this level, eg. a Community Visitor kicking a ball with a young person asking them casually, “Where do you see yourself heading?” (This could be seen as ‘secret planning’).

Education

• Education support Plans in every State/Territory. If States already have them, they need to be reviewed and made more effective.
• A specific role (either in Child Protection Department or Education Department) or oversee and ensure the implementation of Education support Plans.
• support workers in the schools to act as a ‘go-between’, e.g. to help connect young people to their teachers.
• More effective communication and relationships between Child Protection Departments and Education Departments. This could include an online program between the two Departments to better share information.
• Roles and responsibilities between Child Protection Departments and Education Departments need to be much clearer, to each other and children and young people and carers.
• Providing young people with tutors - paid or voluntary.
• Mentors for education - one-on-one basis and talk to groups of young people. They could sit in or outside of the Child Protection Department.
• Include issues and challenges facing children and young people in care in teacher training.
• Anti-bullying training for all children and young people, eg. Years 7 and 8.
• Stable placements for all children and young people.
• Extend placements for all young people turning 18 during their final year of school. Extend until 30January or until their tertiary education is finished.
• Different educational pathways and options for young people, including pathways directly from school to TAFE.
• Young people in refuges need to be made aware of their entitlements, and workers need to be actively and physically linking young people in with education.
• Better acknowledgement from Child Protection Departments regarding educational achievements of children and young people, eg. rewards for good work.
• Involve young people in choosing electives.
• Early conversations with young people regarding the importance of school/education.
• Show young people where they could end up if they don’t focus and try to do well e.g. homeless shelter, jail, rehab.
• Show young people where they could end up if they do focus and try to do well e.g. have successful professionals who’d had care experiences come to talk to groups of young people about how they got to be where they are.

Employment/training

• More information for young people regarding Centrelink; Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations (DEEWR); and job providers. This information would include young people’s rights and entitlements.
• More funding for skills development programs. This could include training for young people to connect them into the workforce, help with resumes.
• Extend the CREATE Your Future Program to every state/territory and in the regional areas.
• Training/Graduate Program for young people who have been in care, eg. to become Child Safety Officers/Case Workers; Youth Work traineeships.
• More traineeship information to young people.
• More work experience opportunities.
• Acknowledgement and support for young people who chose to work or get an apprenticeship instead of going to school. This could include a financial support program to help cover expenses of an apprenticeship.
• Fund/allowance that recognises the disadvantage faced by young people in care. This allowance could be used for reasons that include interview clothing, education, and employment and training purposes.
• More readily available access to records including birth certificate and tax file number.
• Post care worker support.
• Access for young people to speak with a Careers Advisors, and for this to be an essential component of a transition plan.
• Access for young people to speak with a Financial Advisor.

Youth Allowance

• Young people need to know about their entitlements.
• Better relationships/communication between Child Protection Department, Centrelink and community support services.
• Dedicated worker in Centrelink to link with Child Protection Departments.
• A ‘flag’ to come up on Centrelink file for a young person with a care experience. Workers would’ve received training/information about the specific challenges and needs of young people in care. Young people would have the right to not have this ‘flag’ if they wished.
• Greater awareness of challenges of young people in care - pamphlet, training for Centrelink workers, video for workers made by young people.
• The need for greater differentiation between TILA, Youth Allowance, and dedicated funds from the Child Protection Departments.
• Better process for when a young person ceases to live with their birth family - payment to go to the young person instead of the birth parents.
• Increased funds for young people in or post care. Special payment for young people in care/post care. This would have to be determined on a case-by-case basis, based on a young person’s living situation.
• The rate of Youth Allowance needs to be reviewed. The cost of food goes up, but Youth Allowance does not.
• Centrelink allowance or discounts for Post Office boxes (because of all the placement changes young people have).
• On their 15th birthday, case workers should take young people to Centrelink to sign up for Youth Allowance.
• Young people should be deemed independent by Centrelink at 15 years.

Transition to Independent Living Allowance (TILA)

• It’s confusing and full of jargon.
• There’s a lot of misinformation around.
• The paperwork is hard.
• You need letters from the Department - that can be really hard to get.
• Young people need to be linked in to an NGO - it’s especially difficult for states that don’t have post care support services
• If a worker is not supportive, it is very hard.
• Child Protection Departments have been known to use it as a ‘transition package’ - instead of contributing their own funds.
• You can only get it once.
• More training should be given to workers regarding how to support young people to access TILA.
• This was the first time I’d heard about it.

Transition Phase

Important considerations for Transition Phase

• Transition plan is implemented and evaluated.
• The transition plan is reviewed every 3 months - either in the last year or the second last year.
• Young people are involved - the young person’s view is heard and enacted upon.
• Life skills are being developed with their foster carer or in a program.
• Connected to supporters.
• If a young person is moving back with their birth family, the transition has started earlier e.g. greater visitation on weekends.
• Young people receive material supports.
• Health checks - including physical, mental, and dental; funds needs to made available for this.
• Their housing application is in (at 15 years they should be in the public housing waiting list).
• Young people are in appropriate housing (there needs to be dedicated housing for young people in and post care).

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 people life skills, and helping to change the culture of foster care from carers seeing their role as a job, to that 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 development sessions 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 undertake training 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 at 15 years.
• Contact book given to young people: nation-wide, state-wide, and locally based services and supports.
• 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’s transition 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 in transition plan.
• Interactive websites with games.
• Stable placements.
• More dedicated training for foster carers, all workers.

Reunification with birth families

• The transition needs to commence before a young person turns 18. This could be through gradual visitation.
• 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; and then 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 Phase

Important 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 (if both 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/evidence online 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 on telling everyone they’ve been in care. They should look to review and expand South Australia’s whole 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, priority placements), 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.
  • Connections to community the young person comes from.
  • Counsellors.
• Lack of finances
  • Improve the TILA system.
  • Improved communication between Centrelink and Child Protection.
  • Financial advisors.
  • Budgeting skills.
  • Review the rate of Youth Allowance.
  • support young people to open savings accounts/
  • Information for young people regarding emergency support services, eg. Smith Family.
  • Discount card, like the Foster and Kinship card in Queensland.
• Lack of information/awareness
  • Case workers need more training what information is out there, and how to pass it on to young people.
  • Leaving Care Kits.
• Lack of appropriate services/referrals
  • More funding = more programs.
  • Better worker training, to improve the referral process.
  • Review the effectiveness of referral tools to ensure proper assessments are taking place.
• Lack of effective planning
  • More participation of young people.
  • Departments need to make participation a commitment. Every State/Territory Department to have a Participation Strategy, as well as a National Participation Strategy.
  • Develop alternative ways of case planning.
  • Improve worker training, including options and ideas of how to engage young people.
  • Fun days and info nights for young people, giving them tools for participation.
  • Young people need to be given copies of their plan.
• Lack of official ID
  • Case workers to support young people to acquire an 18+ card.
  • Drivers Learners Licence at 16 years as part of a young person’s transition planning.
  • All young people to be given their birth certificate before they transition.
• Lack of transport
  • Minimum 10 driving lessons as part of a young person’s transition plan.
  • Discounted/concessional card.
• Lack of confidence
  • TFC workshops/camps.
  • More information given about TILA.
  • DVD for young people with available services in their area.
  • Case workers to physically take young people to services in their community.
  • TFC Groups. A regular group that meets; they talk about services and issues, and then doing something fun to connect with each other.
  • Confidence workshops.
  • More encouragement and financial support for young people to get involved in sport, recreation and community activities.

A successful transition

• Adequate transition plans when exiting.
• Everyone stuck to the transition plan; that we got to the goal.
• Financial support, financially secure and stable, sufficient income.
• Adequate and appropriate housing; affordable and safe.
• Feeling safe and secure in your own home and that it is your home.
• Linked in to community where the young person is from or entering: services, cultural support, religious, participating in the community.
• Post care support.
• Linked in with support services.
• Sufficient transport.
• A safe place to call home, food in their tummy, and clothes on their back, enough money left over to buy milk and bread, and a friend a phone call away.
• supported emotionally and financially.
• Health (dental, medical) is taken care of.
• Engaged in education or employment, or working towards that goal.
• Has ID e.g. proof of age card, birth certificate.
• Young person is working towards life goals.
• Clear and confident.
• Happy, supported and stable.
• When the young person can look back and see how far they’ve come and that they’ve gone in a positive direction, and that they’re contributing to society.

Appendix G
Best Practice Examples

Best Practice Example: Leaving Care Services, Victoria

State: Victoria

Target Group: Young people transitioning from care, 16-21 years

Focus: A suite of services and resources for young people transitioning from care including mentoring, specialist support services, support funding, and a helpline.

Total Budget Spend: $3.65 million

Leaving Care Mentoring (LCM)

The LCM program aims to provide young people transitioning from care with the opportunities to interact with adults in community settings. This helps promote personal relationships that safeguard against social isolation after the young person has left care.

Leaving care mentoring is now available in five (5) regions, North West, Barwon, Eastern, Gippsland and Loddon Male.

All mentors are volunteers from the community, and are specifically trained to work with young people leaving care.

Post Care support, Referral and Information Service

This service is established and active in each of the eight (8) Department of Human Services (DHS) regions to support young people between 16 and 21 years who will require support after leaving state care.

State-wide funding for post care support is $1.9 million per annum.

Leaving Care Brokerage

Brokerage is flexible support funding for care leavers, both for those transitioning from state care and those young people up to 21 years who need financial support subsequent to their leaving state care.

Whilst brokerage is usually accessed via a young person’s leaving care worker or post care support worker, all regions have given and undertaking to support any young person who may come their way regardless of region of origin.

Young people can use financial help for:

• Accommodation costs associated with setting up or maintaining your accommodation
• Education/training/employment - so that you can successfully complete training or education
• Access to health and community services that are not supported by Medicare

For quick or emergency funding the limit is $500. For non urgent matters, there is not a limit within reason.

The total brokerage budget is $1.7 million per annum. There is no cap on the number of times a young person may apply for brokerage either during transition or post care, however it will depend on need and/or budget availability.

Leaving Care Helpline - 1300 532 846

A helpline for young people aged 16-21 years who are leaving, or have left out of home care in Victoria. The Leaving Care Helpline is open from 10am-8pm weekdays, and 10am-6pm weekends and public holidays; and can refer young people to services in their area and to specialist Leaving Care support Programs. The leaving care hotline is for all 8 regions and is based in the city of Melbourne. It is anticipated that 1200 contacts will be made per year to the hotline.

Things that matter Checklist

CREATE in partnership with DHS worked with young people to develop the Things That Matter Checklist for young people leaving care, covering the top 10 things young people in Victoria wanted to know about leaving care.

Here are some common questions that young people often have about leaving out of home care in Victoria. You can use these questions to help talk things through with your carer or case worker.

1. When will my Custody or Guardianship Order finish for the last time?
2. What will happen to me then?
3. Who will help me to plan when I leave care? Can I go to the meetings?
4. What can I do if I don’t agree with what is planned for me?
5. Who will help me get:
   • My birth certificate
   • A Medicare card
   • A passport
   • A bank account
   • Youth allowance.

Is there somewhere safe where I can keep my birth certificate and other important documents?

6. Where can I live when I leave of home care?
   Who will help me find accommodation?
   Will there be someone there that can help me if I need it?
7. My foster parents want me to stay with them after I am 18 years old. Can I?
8. Where can I go for help after I leave out of home care in Victoria?
   Who are the agencies?
   Can I meet with someone before I leave?
9. Can I get help with buying some things I need before I leave care?
10. Can I get help if I run out of money after I leave care?

Website: DHS Children, Youth and Families(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window)
Leaving Care Helpline: 1300 532 846

Best Practice Example: Leaving Care Program for Young People with a Disability

State:

New South Wales

Organisation(s):

Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Community Services, New South Wales Housing and Human Services Accord

Target Group:

Young people with a disability transitioning from care.

Focus:

Leaving care program for young people with a disability offering transition planning, case management, access to support, accommodation, vocationa opportunities and skills development, a mentoring service and community participation.

The New South Wales Leaving Care Program (LCP), developed in partnership between Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) and Department of Community Services and the New South Wales Housing and Human Services Accord, provides person-centred support to young people with a disability leaving care.

ADHC is notified two years before a young person’s exit date from care, in order to facilitate referral to the LCP and enable transition planning to occur. Young people are then assessed and a leaving care case plan put into place. Housing and other support agencies are engaged, with the program being managed on a regional basis throughout New South Wales.

An evaluation of the program has been conducted by the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) and the Disability Studies and Research Centre (DSRC). The key finding of the evaluation found that the LCP is an important and well funded program that is generally meeting its objectives of supporting young people with disabilities leaving care to manage this transition. A wide range of stakeholders were consulted and there was general satisfaction with the program. The consultation highlighted a number of program strengths and best practices including that the program was flexible, well resourced and had encouraged inter-agency relationships that were having positive outcomes for participants.

Best Practice Example: Young People Leaving Care Transition Program

State:

Tasmania

Organisation(s):

Disability, Children, Youth and Family Services and Housing Tasmania

Target Group:

Young people transitioning from care, up to 18.5 years

Focus:

supported accommodation and preferential access to public housing

A Transition Program has been developed between Disability, Children, Youth and Family Services (DCYFS) and Housing Tasmania which seeks to transition young people leaving care to independence without experiencing periods of homelessness. The Transition Program offers young people leaving care an additional level of support and preferential access to public housing as a counterbalance to their inherent lack of family and community support resources.

The preferential access to public housing provided under the Transition Program bestows an obligation on the young person leaving care to participate in the support arrangements deemed necessary for them to achieve independence and sustain a stable tenancy.

The Transition Program uses Direct Tenancies as a vehicle to ascribe responsibility for the outcomes of the Transition Program between DCYFS, Housing Tasmania, the young person leaving care and eventually an external support organisation.

The Transition Program requires that a young person agree to enter into a Direct Tenancy for two fixed periods of approximately six months each in duration.

Direct Tenancy 1 - The first period will be from when a suitable property can be found at approximately 17 and a half years through their 18th birthday. Through this period DCYFS will be the support organisation under the Direct Tenancy lease (if young people are leaving their care placements younger than 18 years, then this initial period of the Direct Tenancy would extend to their 18th birthday regardless of their age at entry).

Direct Tenancy 2 - The second period of six months will start from their 18th birthday and would be supported by a key support service identified by DCYFS.

By the end of the fourth month of Direct Tenancy 2 a review will be undertaken of the tenancy with all three parties. If the tenancy is deemed successful then at the end of Direct Tenancy 2 the young person will be given the option to enter into an independent tenancy within the dwelling. If the tenancy is deemed successful but the location is not conducive to a successful long term tenancy then the tenant will be given priority access to transfer to a more suitable location.

At this stage, the tenancy will be operated under the normal policies and procedures applicable to all tenants of Housing Tasmania.

Best Practice Example: Centrelink Program, Woodridge CSC

State:

Queensland

Organisation(s):

Centrelink

Target Group:

Young people transitioning from care, 15 years +

Focus:

A pilot project to provide individualised needs based service delivery to young people with a care experience.

Information brochure

Tailored reference material has been developed including a brochure for young people leaving state care regarding Centrelink services, specifically Youth Allowance. Young people with a care experience were involved in the design and content of the material; ensuring use of appropriate language; ensuring the brochure is easily accessible by young people.

Information Proforma

To overcome the need to provide copies of their care orders, a simple proforma has been developed that holds all the information needed to determine the young person's rate of payment and that Centrelink can fax to Child Safety and they fax back. This eliminates any additional running around by the young person and initial feedback from both Centrelink and Child Safety indicate that it’s effective and time efficient.

Information Sharing

Although not directly targeted at young people leaving care but still very relevant is the work being undertaken with Department of Communities, Housing and Homelessness Services. Woodridge CSC are formalising that customers who have previously provided identity documents to Centrelink, can use the Centrelink record of these documents as proof of identify for their housing applications. This means if customers have lost documents since their Centrelink claim they can use Centrelink records reducing the need for continuously supplying proof of identify (in early stages of implementation).

Information Seminars

Centrelink and Department of Communities, Child Safety Services have committed to running information seminars specific for young people leaving care. The aim of the seminars are to support young people leaving care to ask questions about Centrelink, helping to demystify the service and ensure the target audience is being reached. Child Safety identify young people to attend (carers are also encouraged to attend) and one of the staff from Centrelink presents a semi-structured seminar about Centrelink, payments etc. As part of the seminar, the young people are given a tour of the office, introduced to the Indigenous Services Officer and Multicultural Services Officer and registered on the self service PCs. Feedback from young people at the seminars has been positive.

Centrelink Brochure targeting young people transitioning from care

Best Practice Example: ‘Go Your Own Way’ Leaving Care Kit

State:

Queensland

Organisation(s):

Department of Communities, Child Safety Services and CREATE Foundation

Target Group:

Young people transitioning from care, 17 years

Focus:

A satchel containing information and resources to help support and prepare young people to transition from care

Transition from Care has been identified by both the department and CREATE as a key component of case planning. The department assigned November 2009 as Transition from Care month and, in conjunction with CREATE, developed resources to highlight the significance of transitioning young people from care.

‘Go Your Own Way’ kits contain resources to help young people answer common questions about independent living and also practical tools to help them support themselves. Some of the resources in the satchel include:

• booklet on services available to smooth the path to independence developed with CREATE Young Consultants input
• cookbook written for teenagers by celebrity teenage chef Sam Stern
• ‘Transition from Care’ journal containing artworks and words of advice from CREATE Young Consultants who have been through their own transition from care.

Department of Communities, Child Safety Services provided CREATE with $70,000 of non-recurrent funds in 2009-10: $50,000 to purchase the satchels and resources that are included, and $20,000 for the development and the distribution of the kits over an 18 month period. One Thousand (1,000) ‘Go Your Own Way’ kits will be distributed over a three-year period, from August 2010 to August 2013. The kits are packed and posted from CREATE’s national office by volunteers (providing additional in- kind support), and are then provided to Child Safety Service Centres to give to young people when they turn 17. CREATE also provides backpacks to fostering agencies and residential care agencies on request.

Best Practice Example: Rapid Response - Whole of Government Services

State:

South Australia

Organisation(s):

Government of South Australia

Target Group:

Children and young people in care, 0-18 years

Focus:

Whole of government response to address the health, housing, wellbeing and educational needs of children and young people under guardianship.

Rapid Response places children and young people under guardianship firmly at its centre. Its focus is on providing a holistic, coordinated approach to all aspects of their lives including:

• physical health
• psychological and emotional health
• developmental progress
• disability needs
• education
• housing needs
• transition out of state care, that is post guardianship supports and services.

Rapid Response is based on service guidelines designed to:

• reduce waiting times
• reduce ineligibility because of criteria restrictions
• improve communication between key players, especially the service provider, the carer and the child or young person
• address gaps in services.

The aim of Rapid Response is to address the health, housing, wellbeing and educational needs of children and young people under guardianship in five areas:

1. Case Management: provide a system of robust case management, case planning and review.
2. Assessment: increase the capacity of the system to provide psychological, developmental, physical health and educational assessments.
3. Service response: increase the capacity of the system to provide services required by children and young people under guardianship through all relevant government departments (including therapy or psychological services, medical and allied health services, country services, hospitals, dental services, disability services, education, sport and recreation, and housing).
4. Information sharing and privacy: increase information sharing and continuity of information relevant to the child’s and young person’s education, health, wellbeing and life opportunities.
5. Regional guardianshipservicenetworks:adoptcollaborative, holistic, multi-agency regional service networks responding to children and young people under the guardianship of the Minister.

The Rapid Response framework and action plan(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window).

Best Practice Example: CREATE Your Future

State(s):

Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania (CYF Program and Workshops are conducted) New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria (CYF Workshops only are conducted)

Organisation(s):

CREATE Foundation

Target Group:

Young people in care or with a care background, 15-25 years

Focus:

An holistic life-skills program specifically developed for young people transitioning from care. The program uses workshops, an intensive eight week program, grants scheme, and website. Areas covered include job readiness, education, employment, health, cooking skills, budgeting, community, hygiene, how to get a job, conflict resolution and self- confidence.

As the Peak consumer body for Children and young people in care, CREATE Foundation (CREATE) is committed to the issue of Transitioning from Care. Young people continue to identify transition from care as a major issue, and as such have identified and requested more practical life skills training as a potential solution.

History

In light of the findings of the 2008 CREATE Report Card, Transition from Care, CREATE management commissioned a review of the existing CREATE Your Future Program. At the 2009 Inaugural National Youth Advisory Council Summit, young people again identified Transition in the top four issues faced by young people in care, and recommended that more workshops and practical skill training was required.

To meet the needs of the target population In April 2009 CREATE Your Future was redeveloped in line with what young people across the country were clearly telling us they needed.

The initial model has been redeveloped into an innovative new program with one-off funding from the Commonwealth Government (FAHCSIA). The program was developed into a national package, that takes a more holistic hands-on approach to working with disengaged and highly disadvantaged young people. The website was also updated.

Program Aims, Objectives and Outcomes:

1. Improve the potential life outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care
2. Empower young people to feel equiped to transition from the care of the State /Territory
3. To have an understanding and demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Types of employment
• Cover letters
• What type of work might be suitable
• Looking for work
• Demonstrated ability to compose a cover letter, resume and address key selection criteria
• Dressing appropriately for interview
• Perception/self/others
• Requirements for 100 points of Identification
• Addressing Key Selection Criteria
• How to attain a drivers licence
• Basic understanding of resume development
• Purchasing food on a set budget
• Event planning and budgeting, enhanced communication skills and team work
• Learning Styles
• Career and education options
• Fair working conditions
• Practical interview skills
• Applying for work
• Preparing for an interview
• Challenge participants views and have an understanding of attitudes and barriers towards learning
• Resumes
• Personal Presentation for Interviews
• Breaking through the barriers that hold participants back from success
• Basic cooking skills
• Ability to plan and cook a meal from start to finish
• Taking responsibility for personal actions and the impact on everyday life
• Medicare and Bulk Billing
• Demonstrated ability to use internet job search sites
• Personal budgeting
• Personal future goals regarding education/employment
• Rental Ad Acronyms
• What is Community
• Australian tax system and requirements
• Grooming for an interview
• Community supports available and how to access them
• Basic budgeting and spending tips
• Government and Community support services available in the local area
• Washing Clothes
• Personal grooming for interviews
• How to access the local services
• Understanding of Youth Law, their resources and how to access them in the community
• What it is like to work in a Trade environment
• Trade Employment
• Basic awareness of private health insurance
• Invitations and guest lists for celebration event
• Understanding of Ambulance Cover
• Centrelink Services and how to access them
• Basic Nutrition
• Newly defined personal goals
• Employment contracts
• Centrepay.

Program Scope

The CREATE Your Future full program (workshops plus eight week intensive program) is now available in Tasmania and the ACT. Young people in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria can now access the workshop program through the generous support of the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation (VIC), Bennelong Foundation (VIC) and The Origin Foundation VIC, SA, QLD, and NSW.

Note: Young people in Western Australia and Northern Terriory do not yet have the benefit of the CREATE Your future program in any format at this point in time.

CREATE Your Future Program

1. CREATE Your Future Independent Workshops

2. CREATE Your Future Intensive Program

The Program is a 24 day adventure of self-development, employability skills and transition skills learning. From week one of the program, young people are challenged to develop a sense of team and purpose through learning concepts like comfort zone, what is success, learning styles and team work.

The challenges continue throughout the course, and participants are actively engaged in action learning requiring them to explore the skills of chunking, keeping a food diary, looking at their community, cooking together and taking the leap of faith.

As the program continues participants find a sense of self confidence and purpose and continue to develop skills throughout the program including budgeting, cooking, resume writing, understanding basic nutrition, housing options, Centrelink, career planning, education options, goal setting, available supports including TILA applications, JPET, Medicare, Finding the super hero within, Cover letters, Grooming, job search, how to attain a Learners Permit, Understanding 100 points of ID, What to wear to an interview, addressing key selection criteria, tax file numbers, and more.

3. CREATE Your Future Carer Workshops

CREATE can provide a pre program and post program workshop for carers and out-of-home care staff to explore the concepts of transitioning from care and support options for the young people in their care.

All program participants’ carers will be invited to participate in a practical one-day pre program workshop designed to explore the process of leaving care and what skills will be required for young people to have a positive experience of transition. Carers will be supplied with an overview of the program the young people in their care will be participating and avenues for them to continue the learning whilst at home.

Post Program, a one day workshop will be run for carers to explore ways to continue the growth and development that has occurred for the young person, to consider individual needs of the young person in their care and strategies to assist the leaving care process. Carers will also hear from young people who have transitioned from care about their views of what was helpful.

Carers are also encouraged and welcome to share in the celebration event on the last day of the intensive program.

4. CREATE Your Future Website

The CREATE Your Future web-site(link is external)(Opens in a new tab/window) is the only national portal for young people transitioning from care. The information contained on the site has been developed from extensive consultation with young people, carers, and NGO’s.

Content is tailored to provide state-based and national information for young people. The site has been developed in conjunction with the CREATE Your Future national training package (a holistic lifeskills program and workshops).

The site has followed the domains of the (LAC) framework recommended in the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. The domains include the following:

• leaving care/transition/life skills
• health
• money/finance
• education and training
• employment
• housing
• transport
• food and nutrition.

CREATE Foundation is committed to ensuring that the site is updated and relevant to young people. However, has only received commonwealth (FAHSCIA) funding to review and update the site in 2009. Therefore, CREATE is in the unenviable position of continuously seeking corporate sponsorship to cover the cost of staff to update and monitor the site.

Benefits

Having one national website for transitioning from care will facilitate the following:

• Resources can be targeted to one site instead of having multiple websites all with pieces of information but none providing a holistic overview of transition services and information.
• Reduction in duplication and fragmentation of information systems.
• One national website can be monitored easily and the commonwealth (across government) and states/territories can be consulted along with young people to determine the website’s relevance and usefulness and one central point can update it regularly.
• Offers a central point for referral for NGO’s and Centrelink, etc.
• The site is updated and improved continuously ensuring you people’s views, experience and expertise are used to keep the site fresh and up-to-date. However, no funding is received from government for CREATE to do this.

5. CREATE Your Future Grant Scheme

The grant scheme welcomes annual applications in the areas of Accommodation and Living, Education and Training, Driving Lessons, Travel/Conferences, Health and Wellbeing. Grants range for $200 - $3000.

6. Community Linkages

Our corporate partners assist with potential work site visits, and with facilitating various program aspects. Volunteers are a pivotal part in the program and value add to the process and costing.

1. Under the National Framework, the national priority of Transitioning to Independence is drawn from:
   • supporting Outcome 4 - Children who have been abused or neglected receive the support and care they need for their safety and wellbeing.
   • Strategy 4.3 - Improve support for young people leaving care.
2. Developing national standards for out-of-home care is another of the national priorities being addressed in the first three-year implementation phase. Given the variance of current out-of-home care standards across jurisdictions, a central aim of this priority is to capture nationally-consistent data to facilitate the identification of service delivery gaps and best practice models for development. As such, the outcomes of the national priority Transitioning to independence have direct relevance to the development of national standards for out-of-home care which aim to improve the outcomes and experiences of children and young people in care.
3. The three (3) survey instruments and two (2) research projects referred to are:
   • Project 1, 2009: Create Report Card 2009 - Transitioning from Care: Tracking Progress
     • STILL IN CARE Young People’s Survey (15-18 years of age) - 275 respondents
     • LEFT CARE Young People’s Survey (25 years maximum age) - 196 respondents
   • Project 2, 2010-11: ‘What’s the Plan?’ Campaign
     • Young People’s (over 15 years) Baseline Survey - 207 respondents