Casey Life Skills
What It Measures
Casey Life Skills (CLS) is a self-report questionnaire that helps a young person take stock of the practical skills they will need to live on their own — cooking and laundry, managing money, finding housing, getting to work, using health care, and knowing which adults they can count on.
The standard form has 126 multiple-choice questions across nine areas: daily living, self-care, relationships and communication, housing and money management and transportation, work and study life, career and education planning, civic engagement, navigating the child welfare system, and looking forward. A shorter 20-item version also exists. Results are meant to open a conversation and set goals, not to grade a young person's readiness.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: CLS is free and downloadable from Casey Family Programs. However, Casey Family Programs owns all rights, titles, and interests including copyrights in the assessments, and use is subject to the CLS Licensing Agreement printed on the forms themselves.
Learn More: Caregivers who know the youth — foster parents, social workers, teachers — can also complete an assessment, which is useful when comparing perspectives. Completing the assessment online generates instant results and a customized learning plan.
