It's a moment that brings a lot of fear, says Leticia Quince.

"A 'normal' 18-year-old who is still under their parents care, they'd never be expected to magically become and adult and have full responsibility all on them, which is what people in out-of-home care experience," she said.

"Rather than celebrating their 18^th, there's a fear around it."

Ms Quince knows only too well. She was in out-of-home care from the age of 12 until her own 18^th birthday.

"My life completely shifted but I wouldn't change a thing from going into care. It's been the biggest thing that's happened to me and the hardest thing but it's also been the most amazing thing at the same time," the Dubbo resident said.

But that's not to say the journey hasn't been without it's road bumps.

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"I could see there was a clear injustice, a clear gap in support that made me want to have a voice for the young people who don't have a voice," Ms Quince said.

"I know that I can speak loud and proud and I'm driven to say 'hey, this isn't right' or 'this isn't working'."

She's been a passionate advocate around foster care for years and has a long list of volunteer credits under her name. It's that advocacy work that has seen her named as AbSec's Young Person of the Year in the Aboriginal Child and Family Awards.

As well as being a youth ambassador for organisations like AbSec and Department of Communities and Justice, Ms Quince also works as a youth development coach with Uniting Care's pilot program looking into extended care.

She helps empower young people in out-of-home care who are aged between 15 and 21 to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Extending out-of-home care until young people turn 21 is one of the items on a "sometimes never-ending list" of changes Ms Quince would like to see in NSW.

"Once a young person turns 18, that's when a lot of the relationship breakdowns happen within the foster home because there's the stress that there's no more financial support," Ms Quince said.

"They're at a higher risk of homelessness. The incarceration rates for young people at the later age of out of home care are higher as well."

In November, the Victoria government pledged to extend out of home care until 21. But in NSW it ends at 18-years-old.

A report from the Commission for Children and Young People, which looked at young people in Victoria, found at least 30 per cent of young people became homeless within three years of leaving care.

Another area of importance for Ms Quince is for caseworkers to be honest and transparent.

"When I went into care, on the day I was removed I was told I was just going for the weekend. And I never went back," she said.

"At that initial stage I was lied to and while it was a white lie to them because they obviously didn't want to stir the pot, it created a distrust."

Ms Quince said despite the reaction and shock it would have caused, knowing the truth was important.

She would also like to see more Aboriginal children who are removed from their homes placed with either family members or people from their community.

Ms Quince believes being placed with a non-Indigenous family meant she missed out on cultural learnings. Even now at 24-years-old, Ms Quince said she still felt a disconnection from her mob and her culture.

And she knows her story is not unique.

"I don't know a young person who actually says the system is working for them. It's a lot better than it was 10 years ago, so small steps, but there's still a long way to go," Ms Quince said.

After her own bad experiences, it was her caseworker, Robert McKechnie, who inspired her to go into social work.

"He pushed me towards my potential and just believed in me. That believing in me was so massive," she said.

"He would even share what I was doing with other people because he was so proud of me."

It made her want to be that positive force for other young people.

Now, through both her career and advocacy work, Ms Quince said pushing for better experiences for young people in the system is something she lives and breathes every single day.

It's the young people themselves who keep her going.

"They amaze me. Every single day one of them will do something that just fills that space to know you're doing the right thing.

"When I first started, I know it was more of a drive to create change within the system. I've been caseworking since I was 19, and in the last couple of months, especially the last 18 months since starting my new role, it's shifted more to my main drive being the young person's journey and seeing them embracing their own lives and making their own decisions.

"I've had young people who even say to me 'I would not have made it through that point if you didn't help me'. Those moments where they look you in the eye or they say thank you at the end of a catch-up, that's everything to me."

In January, Ms Quince is moving to Newcastle to focus on her design business full-time. Even that was inspired by the people she mentors.

When she saw one of the young people in out-of-home care get into university, it encouraged her to pursue her own graphic design dreams.

But, the advocacy work won't stop. Ms Quince said by running her own business, she hoped to have more flexible hours to continue campaigning for those without a voice.

The AbSec award was icing on the cake for the passionate 24-year-old.

"Receiving this award was such an honour. I cried," Ms Quince said.

"I've done all this work just because I felt that it was my place and part of my journey, and then to receive recognition is absolutely massive. I just do it because I do it, not for recognition.

"It was just absolutely amazing to have that, especially when I'm stepping away from the current role I'm doing. It's there to say 'you have made an impact'."