The Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment (ACLSA)
The Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment, also referred to as Casey Life Skills, is a suite of comprehensive online assessments, learning plans, and learning resources that can be utilized for free to help engage young people in foster care whereby they can gain the life skills they need to exit care. The tools are strengths-based and were built and refined with user input and research. The assessments consist of statements about life skills domains deemed critical by youth and caregivers for successful adult living.
There are also additional assessment supplements designed to help young people who have specific needs and challenges. The specific topics are: pregnancy and parenting infants and young children, homeless, youth values, education, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth (GLBTQ), and American Indian.
Customized individual or group learning plans can be created through use of the Life Skills Learning Guide and the supplemental guides. Youth, with guidance from caregivers, can identify areas in nine life skill domains that they would like to improve using activities and exercises chosen from a comprehensive selection of free or low cost curricula, guides, and websites.
A secure, encrypted database holds hundreds of thousands of score reports completed since 2005. Users can receive automated aggregate data reports and track the progress of youth over time. Benchmark data is also accessible to allow users to compare youths’ scores to the average scores of other youth belonging to similar demographics. The paired t-test statistical function allows users to compare data from two points in time.
We always recommend that caregivers build their understanding of the tools by completing sample assessments, building sample learning plans, and reviewing the resources available. Ideally, they will get end user, certified user, or certified trainer training from our fully endorsed authorized training providers. These senior certified trainers can deliver in-depth training on the Casey Life Skills tools, products, and processes.
The ACLSA was designed to be as free as possible from gender, ethnic, and cultural biases. It is appropriate for all youths regardless of living circumstances, whether with one parent, in foster care, in group homes, etc. Ansell-Casey does not collect personal identification information and the results are confidential.
Suggested age ranges for ACLSA use:
- ACLSA-I (ages 8-9 with 39 questions)
- ACLSA-II (ages 10-12 with60 questions)
- ACLSA-III(ages 13-15 with87 questions)
- ACLSA-IV(ages 16 and up with 121 questions)
- ACLSA Short(ages 11-18 with 20 questions)
Life Skill Areas:
- Career Planning
- Communication
- Daily Living
- Home Life
- Housing and Money Management
- Self Care
- Social Relationships
- Work Life
- Work and Study Skills
These free transition assessments found at; “Transition Assessment Resources” link.