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My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Teens Still in Care

AGE 14

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

F in Care Females Surveyed % Surveyed M in Care Males Surveyed % Surveyed TOTAL 354 148 42% 345 143 41% 42% 15 16 420 554 17 465 Total 1793 157 260 198 763 37% 47% 23% 43% 440 511 460 1756 214 252 188 797 49% 49% 41% 45% 43% 48% 42%

44%

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds Have you changed schools in the past year?

Currently receiving services outlined in your educational plan?

% Answering YES % Answering YES 47% 64%

My Services Review Spring 2011

For the 734 Children Who Reported Changing Schools within the Last School Year ; “How many schools have you attended?” 70% 60% 61% 60% 53% 56% Number of Schools 2 50% 40% Number of Schools 3 30% 20% 21%

19%

17%

29%

17%

27%

17%

22%

Number of Schools 4 or more 10% 0% 14-yr-olds 15-yr-olds 16-yr-olds 17-yr-olds

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EDUCATION AGES 13-17: Question to Caseworkers

Youth is at or above grade level (age 13) Youth is at or above grade level (age 17) If not on grade level is youth is receiving remedial education.

2007

60% 45% 60%

2008 2009 2010 2011

61% 56% 66% 63% 50% 60% 64% 52% 57%

My Services Review Spring 2011

How far behind in school?

Youth Reporting their School Grade Grouped by Age 1,517 Youth Responding 250 200 150 100 450 400 350 300 50 0

1 1 7 28 74 3 2 12 3 37 121 147 41 159 155 58 92 200 58 0 121 79 3 1 64 38 12

Age 17 Age 16 Age 15 Age 14

* My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Health Care

Received dental services in last year

(ages 13 to 17)

Received dental services within last 6 months

(ages 13 to 17) Last Eye Exam within 12 months Last Eye Exam within 6 months 2007

58%

2008 2009

70% 67%

2010 2011

72% 85% 75% 81% 67%

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LIFE SKILLS

Completed standardized life skills assessment (age 14) Completed standardized life skills assessment (age 17)

2007

63% 80%

2008

69% 81% Open and active bank account (age 15) Question added in 2008 13% Written plan for participation in age appropriate activities (normalcy) (age 17) Youth has successfully completed driver’s education (age 17) 47% 10% 65% 22% My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

2009

79%

2010

85%

2011

63% (79% of 16-yr-olds & 82% of 17-year olds) 87% 10% 87% 82% 16% 8% (37% -38% of 17 yr-olds checking and/or savings) 76% 22% 65% 76% 13% 17% Different question: 20% have driver’s license or permit

* My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

LIFE SKILLS ages 13-17

Youth has completed an age appropriated, standardized life skills assessment Youth has received services for life skill deficiencies

2007

69% 67%

2008 2009 2010

74% 75% 82% 80% 83% Youth has had the opportunity to participate in job training 39% Note: Ages 15-17 only 25% 24%

2011

74% 84% 67% 30% total 23% 13% currently enrolled 17% have completed

* My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

CASE PLAN AND AFTER CARE

Case plan filed with the court (age 13 to 17) Youth involved in case plan development (age 13 to 17) Youth has signed his or her independent living transition plan (age 17)

2007

55% 29% 64%

2008

77% 51% 64% Youth connected to adult mentor (age 13 to 17) 29% 41%

2009 2010

74% 59% 75% 53%

2011

83% 65% 64% 47% 68% 50% 53% 73% NYTD 17-year olds only

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Observations from responses to areas of questioning: How are we doing ?

Medication- 44% reported taking prescription medication • 83% knew the names of their medication • 94% Knew what the medication was for • • • • 80% knew the side effects 73% were involved in the decision 78% Agreed with the medication 86% agreed they had someone to talk to about the medication Teaching— 95-97% of Teens reported they had learned about • Risks of drugs, alcohol and tobacco • How to have healthy relationships • • Domestic violence Gang and gang violence

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Observations from responses to areas of questioning: How are we doing ?

• • • • • • Educational Supports Teens reported 79% of their caregivers review their grades/report cards with them 73% of their caseworkers do the same 71% of their caregivers review their education and career plan 84% of 17-year-olds and 67% of 14 thru 16-year-olds reported they know the skills to get employment—interviewing, filling out applications, writing a resume Assisting older teens with post-secondary applications and funding sources for tuition—positive responses in the 40-60% range 46% someone assisting them with post-secondary applications

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Observations from responses to areas of questioning: How are we doing ?

• • • • • • Pre- and Independent Living Skills 81% Going to the grocery store with care givers 73% Practice cooking with caregivers 85% Get up on their own in the morning for school/work 39% Earning money and learning job skills thru mowing lawns, babysitting, etc.

41% of 14-16-yr-olds have been told about jobs in their area 34% are volunteering • For 17-yr-olds only o 77% know housing options in their area o 66% have developed a budget for life after foster care

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

Observations from responses to areas of questioning: How are we doing ?

• • • • • • Teen Life 66% have a normalcy plan; 90% of those are followed and 81% are updated every 90 days Spending time supervised (79%) and unsupervised (72%) with friends Most prevalent curfew is 10pm on Friday and Saturday 89% report participation in extracurricular activities –for those who don’t o transportation and money are common barriers o for 12 % it is the place where they are living, which could include RTCs, jail, etc.

Mid-80% range for 15-17-yr-olds to date, go to prom, homecoming, etc.

For 15-17-yr-olds • 58% have cell phones • • 46% have computers 73% have internet where the are living and 93% of these are allowed to use it.

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds • • • • • • • • • LEGAL REQUIREMENTS 54% report getting their allowance each week (should ask re: monthly) 97% report they can spend as they wish 66% know how to get their case record 22% report having a Master Trust Account (not all children in foster care have these); of those, half know how much is in the account 43% state knowing they have an IEP (better explaining to young people needed?) 84% know they have a case plan; 65% report helping with its content; 39% have a copy 92% understand they can ask to have the court review their permanency goal 78% report they have had a photo taken in the past 3 months 42% have completed an Exit Interview if and when they left a placement

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Being in Foster Care I have been in foster care for the last 16 years of my life and trust me this has been no smooth ride between losing your parents. thats no easy thing for children to go through it really hurts them. It makes the child feel that its all their fault.

i don't like foster care i don't want no help all i want is to be with my family i have good foster parents and am proud to say when am here i get good grade and most of the time am happy the house is alway clean there always food in the if you do good in school you get extra allowance and most important i feel love in my home.

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Being in Foster Care foster care sucks and i hate this test!!!!!!! they dont do there job and they need to be confronted about it.

i am okay with this placement untill i turn eighteen but i wish to move to clearwater after that and i dont know what the rules are about transportation with ageing out of dcf care.

This house isnt that bad, but i dont want to be here cause im so far away from my family and friends living with my foster parents is the most wonderful thing that have ever happen in my life i love where i have been placed i get treated like a family member its like im not even in foster care i love every moment we spend together!!

i dont like how the rules are so strict

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Adoption

UMM... I like staying with my foster parent even though sometimes i feel wierd because im in foster care...I can say that i am lucky to be in a placement like this..BUT I am still willing to be adopted because i want a place where i can call home .

i have been thinking about getting involved in getting adopted.

i want them to adopt me I want to be adopted by my cargivers but ___wont let me.

i wish the state would stop talking about adoption i am staying with my mom. stop trying to trick me into getting adopted, and stop lying to foster kids. quit sending so many people to see me everyday there is someone new almost every month

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Making things better for them

i really like the placement i am at, however being as though it is a theraputic foster home it is a program that children are able to be discharged from. i feel it is most benificiary to me to stay at my current placement without being discharged until 18 Many comments about needing more clothing, clothing does not fit, no one takes them shopping for clothes, want to pick out their own clothes sometimes I want my foster care placement to trust me more and allow me to communicate with my friends and give me more responsibilities. ___ needs to leave foster kids alone and stop making so many ___ people coming over all the time and quit making us do things we do not want to like this

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Making things better for them

teens should not be forced to go back to live with biological parents or other family members if they do not want to. Teens should have the right to stay in their foster homes if they feel that is best for themselves that the placement should choose the kids they accept more wisely YES I DO!!!!! i wanna go home There has been times when there was neccessities i needed such as jeans for school and I didnt receive them. I was told there wasnt enough funding and I dont think that was fair. There has also been times when all my medical needs have not been met. I think I should have signed copy of my Tx Plan Yes I Would Like To Live With My Brother .

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Their Caregivers

It is often stated that people are more likely to give comments on surveys when they are unhappy. We also can acknowledge that teens not in foster care are often unhappy with their parents. But a youth voice is important for us to hear how they feel and view foster care and the quality of the parenting and care they are receiving.

55% of the comments about foster homes were positive. 46% of the comments made about group care were positive Positive comments tended to be more specific and longer than negative comments. The often observed teen propensity for superlatives was evident in both sets of comments: words like love it, best, awesome, amazing, sweet, etc. and stinks, hate it, sucks, horrible, like being in hell.

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Their Caregivers

My group home staff love me, take care of me and care about me...both me and my brother are well taken care of and like to live here until we move to Ohio not everyone at the group home placement gets treated the same . we dont get the same discipline or the same attention. sometimes the people dont even pay attention to us. and we dont have any privacy because we have cameras in the house that watch living with my foster parents is the most wonderful thing that have ever happen in my life i love where i have been placed i get treated like a family member its like im not even in foster care i love every moment we spend together!!

I think my placement is not a good place for any foster kid.The foster parnet is not nice to me and the other kid that lives here. The lady ……yells all the time.

My Services Review Spring 2011 14-17-yr-olds

What the young people told us about…..

Their Caregivers

MY foster mom is my true mother she's everything to me My foster mother is awsome, she is a gift from God. We have so much in commom. we always go fishing and swimming and enjoy other fun and adventerus activities My foster perents take of just like I was there own child They the best perant a kid can ever ask for My foster parent is good to me but I am still treated as if I'm a foster child. SHE IS A LOVING PERSON SHE HATIAN AND CARE SO MUSH SINCE I DOUNT HAVE NO PARENTS SHE IS MY MOM AND MY DAA AND MY HERO.