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Effective: 01/08/2026

C12.1 Introduction to Serving Transition Age Youth

Legal Authority

Introduction

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Transition-age youth includes all youth and young adults who experienced out-of-home care (OOHC) at age fourteen (14) or older, regardless of the permanency goal. Supporting this population requires knowledge of their rights, available services and resources, and how to help them navigate the unique challenges they face. The John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood (Chafee) is a federally funded program designed to support transition-age youth. Chafee sets forth the standards and scope of services to help transition-age youth, as well as providing funding to support these activities.  The scope of services includes:
  • ​Positive youth development;
  • Advocacy and protection of the rights of youth in care;
  • Daily living skills;
  • Access and support for education (high school and post-secondary);
  • Employment readiness, career exploration, job training, and retention;
  • Financial literacy; 
  • Preventive services (substance misuse prevention, pregnancy prevention/family planning, human trafficking, preventive health); 
  • Ensuring positive, permanent relationships with supportive adults;  
  • Opportunities to engage in age and developmentally appropriate activities;
  • Relationship skill development is necessary for healthy future intimate and family relationships; and 
  • Experiential learning that reflects what their peers experience in intact families.


Practice Guidance

  • Transition-age youth with experience in OOHC face unique challenges. Therefore, it is important that all staff and partners who serve youth and young adults are knowledgeable of the range of issues impacting transition-age youth, as well as the services and resources available to meet their needs.
  • Supports include an array of transitional services and resources provided by the SSW, regional transitional living specialists (TLS), Transitional Services Branch staff, private child placing (PCP) and private child care (PCC) providers, contract providers, and other community partners.
  • Transitional services or Chafee services refer to the full array of services, resources, and supports provided to youth who experienced OOHC at age fourteen (14) or older.
  • Transition planning refers to the federally required formal planning for transition from OOHC that begins at age seventeen (17). 
  • Transitional services include, but are not limited to:
    • Assistance in obtaining a high school diploma; 
    • Assistance in obtaining post-secondary education; 
    • Career exploration; 
    • Vocational training; 
    • Job placement and retention; 
    • Training and opportunities to practice daily living skills (such as driving instruction, how to cook, clean, do laundry, navigate public transportation); 
    • Financial literacy; 
    • Substance misuse prevention and preventive health activities (including smoking avoidance, nutrition education, and pregnancy prevention); 
    • Supports in developing meaningful, permanent connections with caring adults;
    • Opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities; 
    • Positive youth development; and 
    • Normalcy, including the opportunity to engage in activities and experiences typical of same-age peers.
  • This chapter provides details on best practices and procedures to meet the needs of transition-age youth. 
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Procedure

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Documents

Revisions