Child/Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline: 805-654-3200
Get Involved - After Eighteen
Getting Involved with Emerging Adults
While some emerging adults may seek a standard landlord-tenant relationship, others may seek living arrangements that offer a stronger relationship with an adult, thereby providing more opportunities for mentorship, understanding, and support during the transition to independence.
Community members who aren’t foster parents and are interested in exploring the various options for helping emerging adults are encouraged to view our online Resource Family Orientation or attend a two-hour Informational Meeting. This meeting offers basic information about the child welfare system and the unique circumstances some foster youth face.
Supervised Independent Living Placements
Emerging adults who have good independent living skills can be approved to enter into Supervised Independent Living – Extended Foster Care. Under this arrangement, the emerging adults will receive a monthly payment from the County, and may select any apartment or house (such as yours) that they would like, as long as the property meets basic health and safety standards.
The emerging adults will be responsible for participating in interviews with prospective landlords, asking questions to assess the security of the home, and making housing decisions that are in line with their financial, transportation, and other goals. Children & Family Services social workers will be available to coach emerging adults as they make their decisions and to help facilitate conversations, if needed, with potential landlords.
Each emerging adult may reach a different financial agreement with his/her landlord. For example, one rental agreement may lay out a plan for the emerging adult to pay a portion of his/her monthly payment from the County to the landlord as rent. Another rental agreement may outline a sliding scale for rent that depends on the emerging adult’s work earnings or school expenses. Similarly, rental agreements will vary in the way that issues such as noise levels, parking, and pets are addressed.
For further information, please contact us.
