Arizona’s Department of Child Safety recently received a grant to support the Youth Driver Education Program, which helps young people on their way out of the foster care system get a driver’s license.
Youth Services Coordinator Joie Hudson said that statewide, over 200 young people have successfully completed the program.
“At the age of 14, if you're in out-of-home care, you're considered to be in the young adult program and have access to these services,” Hudson explained. “Except for the driving program — that's at 15 and a half when you're legally able to get a permit. But we start transition planning at that time, which means we start talking to them about their goals.”
Hudson said that early planning can help ease the transition out of the system and into a successful adulthood.
They work with Stop and Go, a driving school, to secure appointments.
“Young people who are in group homes won't have the same type of opportunity as their peers who are not in foster care to practice in between those instructional drives,” said Hudson. “So on a case-by-case basis, if they are going to their scheduled drives, they're making progress and they're really trying in the program, we're able to help with, like, additional instructional drives for them.”
Even beyond that, she added that participants can receive guidance on affording a car if they want one.
