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Become a Foster Carer

What is Yorganop Home Stretch

About the Home Stretch WA Model

“We recognise that the years between 18-21 are an exceptionally vulnerable age. It’s essential that Aboriginal young people have the support and connections they need to successfully transition to interdependence, when they’ve been living in the care system.”

– Yorganop CEO Dawn Wallam

What is Yorganop Home Stretch?

Home Stretch WA offers young people leaving out-of-home / foster care with one-on-one coaching and other supports, from when they turn 18 and until the age of 21.  The Home Stretch WA program was designed with young people with lived experience of having left care and made their way to independent adulthood, often with little, if any help.

Why is it important?

After turning 18, children in out-of-home care in Western Australia are considered legally independent, and many are forced to leave their care and living arrangements. At this age, many young people are finishing their senior year of high school or going through other major life transitions. After leaving foster care, many young people end up homeless, in the criminal justice system, with limited employment and training opportunities if any, and may be struggling with substance abuse and other impacts of trauma. They often lack independent living skills, may have responsibilities for other family members or may become new parents facing the risk of having their child taken into care.

As an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO), Yorganop’s Home Stretch service focuses on the needs of young Aboriginal people.

Yorganop transition coaches are committed to standing alongside Aboriginal young people and supporting them to overcome their challenges, meet their needs, reach their goals, and create the life they want to live.

Walking alongside young people who are escaping FDV, are homeless or couch surfing, and unemployed … supporting them through their dark days… and then watching the tides turn and supporting them in their golden days. Just being there for them every step of the way.  And then when they have wins, it’s the biggest reward! This is why I do what I do!

Transition Coach, Yorganop

Yorganop Home Stretch Model

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Young Person

Although we have no housing stock we will support you to develop a housing pathway plan. This may look like referrals to transitional housing first andpossible access to a housing allowance*

Each coach is focused and time spent depends on your needs and goals. And has the flexibility to work with you wherever you feel comfortable. We will aim to reach out to you as much as you need depending on your gaols, this might need like atext every fortnight or meeting you weekly with appointments.

Yes! This person may not be your primary coach. We have strong Aboriginal people in our program that can meet and support with you with you on your cultural journey.

Young Person’s Carer

Home Stretch WA Staying On Subsidy will support the living arrangement from when the young person turns 18 until the age of 21. The carer or Young person must inform Home Stretch WA if the young person is no longer living in the agreement to avoid over payment and having to payback any ver payments received.

Absolutely! You will be provided with the facilitators phone number and email address as well as informal catch ups to discuss anything you may require assistance with.

The coach's priority is to support the young person. Your Staying On Facilitator is more than happy to help with any support needs you may require however we are all working together to achieve the best outcomes for the living arrangement and the existing family unit.

A Staying on Facilitator will support you with Informal yarning and debrief space, they will work with you on reflection and review of Staying On Agreement at informal reviews throughout the living arrangement, and with access to resources and referrals to specialised services.

Other Stakeholders

Several eligibility criteria have been established. These include:

  1. The young person turned 18 years old on or after 1 July 2022.
  2. The young person is connected to a Department of Communities district office and there is a Home Stretch WA provider available in the area where the young person lives.
  3. The young person is eligible for leaving care assistance as set out in the Children and Community Services Act 2004 (section 96) –
    1. the person has left the CEO’s care; and
    2. the person is under 25 years of age; and
    3. at any time after the person reached 15 years of age they were:
      1. the subject of a protection order (time limited) or protection order (until 18); or
      2. the subject of a negotiated placement agreement in force for a continuous period of at least six months; or
      3. provided with placement services under section 32(1)(a) of the Act for a continuous period of at least six months.

Learn more

All referrals are to be made by a District Office, either by a young person’s case manager or the relevant leaving care team member.

Learn more about the Home Stretch Referral process

Read the Home Stretch WA Final Report.

This report provides a summary of some of the key learnings and insights that have been captured through a range of different co-design tools and activities used in the Trial. This report also provides a number of key recommendations that have been developed through collaboration with key stakeholders involved in the Trial.

 

Staying on Agreement

One aspect of Home Stretch is a ‘Staying on Agreement.’  Which gives young people the opportunity to continue living with their carer or to live with a previous carer. The Home Stretch Staying on Facilitator meets with the carer, young person and their transition coach to work through the Agreement and identify what types of issues might arise, and what types of supports and resources might be needed by the carer and young person to make the living arrangement successful.

The Agreement includes a ‘staying on’ subsidy, which is intended to provide financial support to carers, once the foster care subsidy concludes (when a young person turns 18 or completes Year 12), and while the young person is involved in the Home Stretch program.  The Agreement ensures that the ‘staying on’ subsidy is paid to the carer to cover basic costs of accommodation, food and utilities.  It is also intended to help the young person understand what the carer expects of them as a young adult and participant in the household.

The subsidy is decreased each year as the young person is able to ‘chip in’ more towards household expenses, and is only be paid until the young person turns 21.

It is essential for a young person to opt in to receiving the Home Stretch service and work with their transition coach in order for their carer to receive the subsidy.

The Staying on Facilitator meets with the carer as required, and facilitates regular reviews of the Agreement with the carer, young person and transition coach.

If living with the carer is not working for the young person or the carer, the young person will be supported by the Transition Coach (or Department of Communities’ district office) to explore housing options that better fit their needs.

A Staying on Agreement is highly individualised to respect and strengthen the existing family relationships the agreement is about validating and preserving the strengths of the family.

Nurturing our children to flourish