<p> This curriculum was developed to train social workers, foster parents, and supportive adults who work with Transitional Age Youth (TAY). This curriculum is designed to train on the best practices in the areas of team collaboration and building and permanency. The TAY population faces immediate adulthood and lacks emotional and developmental skills to be successful in society. Youth who have a team of supportive adults and a permanent connection to a committed adult have a greater chance of overcoming the negative odds. This curriculum focuses on training supportive adults (social workers, foster parents, and mentors) about the emotional needs of TAY including communication skills, coping skills, and decision making. These developmental needs have been overlooked in program implementation on state and federal levels. Research suggests that these skills are most effective when learned in a natural setting by adults TAY know and trust. This thesis will review the TAY population, the challenges, and the current responses to the problem. The second part of the thesis will include the curriculum modules and outline a facilitator's guide for each module.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of foster care support services providers about the most effective support services for transitioning wards from foster care to independent living. Set in a suburb of a large metropolitan area, the data for the study were from pre-interview questionnaires and audio recorded interviews of 10 foster care support services providers. Data collected underwent analysis using NVivo 9 software to identify emerging themes from the interview and to collate the common practices and most effective support services for transitioning from foster care to independent living. The five central themes resulting from 10 participants&rsquo; answers to interview and pre-interview questions included (a) beginning the emancipation process, (b) monitoring the emancipation process, (c) primary sources for a successful transition, (d) barriers hindering the successful transition, and (e) tactics developed to improve the transitional outcome. The study findings have implications for foster care support services providers&rsquo; leadership. Foster care agencies could hold collaborative meetings every month in a community facility such as a school, church, or hall, to maintain a visual on goal setting practices and to provide foster youth a sense of security and safety to improve the desire to succeed.</p>

<p> Common themes that arise in working with adolescent mothers are the lack of involvement from incarcerated adolescent fathers and the scarcity of services available for them. This grant proposal targets incarcerated adolescent fathers and their families to establish healthy, long-lasting relationships through the provisions of educational and parenting skills. Children with adolescent fathers who are incarcerated suffer the most consequences. Thus, efforts promoting father involvement intent to also ameliorate child abuse, neglect, and maltreatment. Parenting Skills for Young Dads in Detention (PSYDD), provides psycho-educational and supportive services through a 10-week program, along with a father-child relationship-building component to focus on improving the quality of relationships between the fathers, their children, and the mothers of their children. The proposed program will promote the strengthening of family ties. The actual funding and submission of this grant proposal were not requirements for the successful completion of this project.</p>

<p> The purpose of this thesis project was to partner with a host agency, identify a potential funding source, and write a grant proposal for an educational support program for youth in foster care. A literature review was conducted in order to identify the educational needs and barriers to success faced by youth in care and identify methods to address this issue. A program was designed that utilizes individualized strategic tutoring and mentoring services to address the educational, social, and emotional needs of youth and facilitates collaborations between the education and child welfare systems to improve the educational outcomes of this population. A grant proposal narrative was completed for the Stuart Foundation in order to fund this program for secondary school students in foster care in the Garden Grove Unified School District. The actual submission or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to provide support and services to emancipated foster youth that will enable youth to obtain self-sufficiency and a healthy lifestyle. Emancipated foster youth experience many challenges once they exit the foster care system. The proposed program will give them an opportunity to increase their ability to live independently. An extensive literature review was performed to investigate the best ways to assist emancipated foster youth with addressing their needs such as housing, employment, education, social support, safe sex practices and mental health concerns. A search was conducted to locate an appropriate funder for this program.</p><p> California Community Foundation is the funder that was chosen to fund this program. This foundation is committed to assisting transition aged youth attain self-sufficiency. The program will provide support and services to emancipated foster youth in the city of Los Angeles, California. </p>