Keys to Independence

Each year, with the support of their families, millions of teens learn to drive and earn a driver’s license. But for teens in foster care, for whom securing a driver’s license can be critically important to their success, achieving this “normalcy” milestone can be complicated. Studies have shown that teens with access to a car do better in school, get better jobs, have more college options, have difficulty traveling, securing an apartment and achieving gainful employment.

Through Keys to Independence, an initiative designed to assist eligible youth and young adults achieve a driver’s license, we address and eliminate barriers that prevent them from driving.

Building on their success in Florida, A small team of experts on this subject, now offers a continuum of technical assistance (TA) services to support state and territorial child welfare agencies nationwide in implementing their driving program.

A driving program is an organized effort to ensure that youth experiencing foster care have access to learner’s permits, driver’s licenses, and, ultimately, access to transportation. A program may provide assistance with costs related to obtaining a driver’s license and driving lawfully in a state, which can include vehicle insurance costs, driver’s education classes, testing fees, practice lessons, license fees, roadside assistance, deductibles assistance, and assistance in purchasing an automobile.

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