Processing Out
The act of transitioning from foster care is a process, not an event.
This paper addresses the need for improved transition planning with adolescents getting ready to leave foster care and strike out on their own. Its focus is not on the event, but the physical, emotional, developmental and psychological process the youth encounters and how agencies can help.
Transitioning a child from foster care to adult self-sufficiency takes emotional, organizational, physical and developmental support for the youth. But more importantly, the transition plan needs clear lines of action and accountability. It requires families, youth systems and the community to be responsible for following through on commitments. Any well-laid plan is ineffective if it isn’t carried through.