Independent Living Program - Florida's Center for Child Welfare

Care Independence Act of 1999 requires youth involvement in their Independent Living Plans (National Foster Care AwarenessProject, 2000).Michael Kendrick Ph.D. (Kendrick, 2004) offers levels of participation to use when evaluating the effectiveness of person-centeredplanning. He states that the higher the level of participation, the more effective the planning. We present his levels for yourconsideration:Level One: Learners do not make any substantive decisions about their service.Level Two: Learners do not make any substantive decisions about their service, but are routinely informed about the decisions otherswill be making on their behalf.Level Three: Learners are routinely asked to give opinions to the actual decision-makers regarding service decisions.Level Four: Learners routinely make 25% to 45 % of the key decisions that constitute their personal service.Level Five: Learners make 55% to 90% of the key decisions that affect their service.Level Six: Learners routinely make the vast majority of key decisions that they simply do not believe that they have a meaningfulempowerment issue.We encourage evaluating your work with people in transition and moving your learners to a position where they routinely make themajority of key decisions that affect their learning. Greater learner involvement leads to learner ownership of their skill development.Learning life skills is a life-long process. Few people will be able to do all the skills covered in the Guidebook and should not expect100% mastery in all the life skill domains. However, we hope those preparing for living on their own and interdependently with otherswill accomplish many of the Learning Goals in order to be prepared to succeed.Life Skills Guidebook 9©2004 by Casey Family Programs.