Description

Caring Adults R Everywhere (C.A.R.E.) is a research-informed, social justice-oriented social support intervention for older youth in foster care that utilizes the power of connection to caring adults through natural mentoring. The goal of this manual is to provide child welfare organizations with the vision and practical tools needed to facilitate and support the development of growth-fostering relationships between older youth in care and caring adults. C.A.R.E. advances a new paradigm in child welfare practice: one that acknowledges that all youth require independent living skills and life-long connections to caring adults. This manual is made up of four sections. Section 1 contains Module 1.1, which trains the interventionist in how to assess youth s permanent connections, and Module 1.2, which provides guidelines for identifying, screening, and conducting background checks of potential natural mentors. The eight modules in Section 2 provide training for the natural mentors delivered by the interventionist. Section 3 consists of the program activities that the interventionist facilitates for the youth in care and their natural mentors. These activities are designed to support the development of growth-fostering relationships between the youth and their natural mentors. Section 3 is made up of nine modules that are typically delivered over 12 weeks of weekly sessions. Section 4 outlines aftercare and booster sessions offered after the conclusion of the 12-week program.