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Effective: 01/08/2026

C12.14 Career Exploration and Employment Readiness and Retention

Legal Authority

Introduction

​Key components of the transitional services or Chafee services provided to transition-age youth include resources and services for career exploration, vocational training, job placement, and job retention. ​​

Practice Guidance

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Several supports and opportunities are available to transition-age youth to support career exploration, employment readiness, and retention, including: 
  • Earn and Learn supports current foster youth, those adopted from care at age sixteen (16) or older, and those who transitioned from out-of-home care (OOHC) at age eighteen (18) or older, in boosting their earning potential through the completion of short-term vocational programs or earning their General Educational Development (GED). Participants earn wages while pursuing a short-term training certificate in a high-demand field. Participants can select a program that can be completed in one (1) year or less from the wide selection available through the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Youth can enroll part-time or full-time, and classes can be online or in person at their local KCTCS campus. 
  • Fostering Success is a ten (10) week workforce development initiative that provides current foster youth, those adopted from OOHC at age sixteen (16) or older, and those who transitioned from OOHC at age eighteen (18) or older, the opportunity to participate in a paid internship, while receiving professional development and career planning support.
  • Summer Skills Series 
  • Employment resources for youth are available on KY RISE - Employment.
  • Youth Development Funds may be utilized to pay for employment-related expenses such as appropriate clothing for interviews, uniforms, or other clothing or supplies needed to gain and maintain employment.
  • Additional supports may also be available through KCTCS, Aetna, private child-caring (PCC) agencies, and the Transitional Services Branch. 

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Procedure

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The SSW:
  1. ​Works in partnership with the transitional living specialist (TLS) to ensure transition-age youth in OOHC are aware of resources and opportunities for career exploration, job placement, vocational training, or other employment readiness and retention supports;
  2. In addition to sharing the information in the Practice Guidance section, refers committed youth aged sixteen (16) to twenty-one (21), and those youth who request assistance following release from commitment, to contact the regional TLS for resources related to career exploration, job placement, or other employment-related needs; 
  3. Ensures that discussion and goals related to current or future employment are included in case planning conferences for youth aged sixteen (16) and older;
  4. Discusses with service providers and caregivers how tools and resources are being utilized to support the youth or young adult with employment readiness and career exploration, including access to resources through the Kentucky Rise app; 
  5. Reviews the transition plan in the case planning conference and thereafter at subsequent periodic reviews for all youth ages seventeen (17) or over; 
The TLS:
  1. ​Supports child welfare staff in the regions by providing consultation and guidance in meeting the needs of transition-age youth related to career exploration, employment readiness, and retention;
  2. Includes discussion and planning related to employment in the formal transition planning meetings for youth aged seventeen (17) and older; 
  3. Advises transition-age youth of resources for employment and career exploration available through Kentucky Rise events, education events, and by utilizing Youth Development Funds.   

Other Transitional Services Branch Staff:
  1. Provide support and consultation to staff in the region, community partners, PCC and contract providers, and the TLS to ensure the needs of transition-age youth are met related to career exploration and employment readiness and retention;
  2. Assess the needs of transition-age youth as a whole and provide administrative support for obtaining services to meet those needs;
  3. Advocate for transition-age youth in care through policy development and resource development to ensure an array of diverse career, job training, and employment support opportunities for transition-age​ youth.  


Documents

Revisions