{"id":6782,"date":"2019-10-15T11:28:08","date_gmt":"2019-10-15T15:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/?page_id=6782"},"modified":"2025-07-09T11:07:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T15:07:51","slug":"foster-youth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/foster-youth\/","title":{"rendered":"Foster Youth Development"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Transitioning to Adulthood: Prospective Students \u2013 The Journey<\/h2>\n<p>More than 500,000 children in America live in foster care. This foster youth population needs our attention in order to help provide guidance for these young people to develop and accomplish their life goals. Helping these young people attain their post-secondary educational goals is our greatest wish.<\/p>\n<p>Research suggests that without extended support most families provide young people in transition to adulthood, youth foster care face enormous challenges in building successful lives. Helping these young people overcome a potentially troubled background remains a pressing concern.<\/p>\n<p>We hope this website will be a help to the foster youth in our community. We gratefully acknowledge the wonderful professionals who take care of our foster youth within the system in the State of Florida and to the child advocates working each day to make our foster youth strong and successful. We also appreciate the Guidance Counselors and SAFE Coordinators in our community elementary, middle and high schools that work hard each day to make a difference in children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mt-4 mt-sm-5\">Preparing for entering Post-Secondary School \u2013 After Care Services<\/h2>\n<p>For ages 18 and not yet 23 years of age, aftercare support services are available to assist young adults formerly in foster care so they will continue to develop skills necessary for independent living.<\/p>\n<p>Young adults formerly in foster care are eligible to apply for transitional support services depending on specific criteria. Access the specifics from your foster care providers.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mt-4 mt-sm-5 mb-4\">Resources<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"row\">\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/scs.sswb.ucf.edu\/foster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Knight Alliance Network (KAN)<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">The KAN program promotes access and student success for foster youth and foster care alumni. We work with students to help them successfully transition to the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Casey Family Programs<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">Casey Family Programs\u2019 mission is to provide and improve \u2014 and ultimately prevent the need for \u2014 foster care<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/understand-aid\/eligibility#foster-care\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Student Aid<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">The U.S. Department of Education doesn\u2019t provide a financial aid program specifically for students who are (or have been) in foster care. However, such students can receive money for college if they meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<dl class=\"row\">\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/laws\/statutes\/2011\/409.1451\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2011 Florida Statutes \u2013 409.1451 \u2013 Independent Living Transition Services<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">List of 2011 Florida Statues from the Florida Senate relating to independent living transition services<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/foster-youth\/college-prep-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Foster Youth College Preparation Checklist<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">A checklist to help foster youth prepare for college, beginning in sixth grade.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/foster-youth\/testimonial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Foster Youth Testimonial<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">The story and testimonial of a former student who graduated from the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/foster-youth\/timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Foster Youth Timeline<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">Timeline Model for Establishing Foster Youth Personal Goal<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fostercarealumni.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Foster Care Alumni of America<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">The vision of Foster Care Alumni of America is that all people in and from foster care are connected, empowered, and flourishing.<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/OnYourOwnFinal.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">On Your Own, But Not Alone<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">A Handbook to Empower Florida Youth Leaving Foster Care<\/dd>\n<dt class=\"col-md-4 mb-2 mb-md-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/financial-aid\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Providing_Effective_Financial_Aid.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Providing Effective Financial Assistance to Foster Care &amp; Unaccompanied Homeless Youth<\/a><\/dt>\n<dd class=\"col-md-8 mb-4\">Tips from the California Community Colleges Chancellor\u2019s Office<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<h2 class=\"mt-4 mt-sm-5\">Acknowledgments<\/h2>\n<p>We would like to acknowledge the following organizations and individuals for their contributions to this website.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"small\">\n<li>Orange County Schools, School Court Liaison, Shirley Johnson-Delgado<\/li>\n<li>The Guidance Counselors\/ SAFE Coordinators in our community schools<\/li>\n<li>Department of Children and Families<\/li>\n<li>Family Services of Metro Orlando (FSMO)<\/li>\n<li>Gerry F. Glynn \u2013 Associate Professor at Barry University School of Law \u2013 Independent Living and New Legislation \u2013 Excerpts from Florida Statutes \u2013 at the Orange County Dependency Court Improvement Summit February 3, 2006.<\/li>\n<li>Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida<\/li>\n<li>Youth who \u201cAge Out\u201d of Foster Care: Troubled Lives, Troubling Prospects by Richard Werthheimer, PhD \u2013 December 2002 \u2013 Child Trends Research Brief.<\/li>\n<li>Network on Transitions to Adulthood Policy Brief \u2013 MacArthur Foundation Research Network \u2013 October 2004, On the Frontier of Adulthood: Emerging Themes and New Directions \u2013 Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr., Ruben G Rumbaut and Richard A. Settersten, Jr.<\/li>\n<li>Florida Department of Education<\/li>\n<li>Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation \u2013 FDIC Money Smart<\/li>\n<li>Inside Higher Ed \u2013 Dec 15, 2006 \u2013 Fostering Higher Education Success \u2013 Rob Capriccioso<\/li>\n<li>The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) \u2013 Report: Foster Youth Among Most Disadvantaged for Higher Education Opportunity \u2013 Dec 15th 2005. Higher Education Opportunities for Foster Youth \u2013 A Primer for Policy Makers \u2013 Thomas R. Wolanin \u2013 The Institute for Higher Education Policy.<\/li>\n<li>The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/li>\n<li>City of Life Education \u2013 Denise Hogan \u2013 City of Life is a 501(c)3 corporation made up of a volunteer board and one full-time employee interested in making a positive difference in the lives of young people, especially foster youth, age 16 and older as they make the transition to adulthood. The Foundation works with existing community resources to build a self-sustaining program that provides jobs and structure for at-risk youth with a particular focus on foster care youth that \u201cage out\u201d of the system. The City of Life Foundation is creating and sponsoring programs to enable these children to transition either into the job market, into further education and training, or into the military service.<\/li>\n<li>EHAP Inc, \u201cOff the Court\u201d \u2013 Veraunda I. Jackson<\/li>\n<li>Judge Maura T Smith, John Cooper, Michelle Akins, Jill Hamilton who with others, put together the Orange County Dependency Court Improvement Summit on February 3, 2006.<\/li>\n<li>Sara Timinsky \u2013 CEP Epals \u2013 Mentoring Program<\/li>\n<li>Dr. Mary Van Hook, Director\/Professor \u2013 School of Social Work \u2013 Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½<\/li>\n<li>Office of Student Financial Assistance \u2013 Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Transitioning to Adulthood: Prospective Students \u2013 The Journey More than 500,000 children in America live in foster care. This foster youth population needs our attention in order to help provide guidance for these young people to develop and accomplish their life goals. Helping these young people attain their post-secondary educational goals is our greatest wish.&hellip;","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-right-sidebar-parent.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-6782","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Foster Youth Development | Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Office of Student Financial Assistance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Transitioning to Adulthood: Prospective Students \u2013 The Journey More than 500,000 children in America live in foster care. 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