Outcomes of Fostering Our Youth’s Education
Literature Review
Overall, existing literature on higher education outcomes for foster youth is limited. The shocking fact that only 10% of foster youth graduate college is sparking conversation about the outcomes for the small percentage of foster youth who engage in higher education. When addressing outcomes of foster youth currently engaging in higher education, it is important to understand the issues during the primary and secondary education which determine education aspiration, attainment, and long-term outcomes which ultimately persist and have negatively impacts foster youth throughout their education experience. In-depth explorations of factors that affect foster youth’s higher education
…show more content…
conduct a qualitative exploratory study comprising of focus groups with key participants who shape the lives of foster youth (the child welfare agency, schools, and caregivers in the home) to discuss and explore higher education attainment of students in foster care. Furthermore, the research of Shea et al adds to the discussion of trauma created by navigating the foster care system and the other influencing systems, and the lack of collaboration between these systems. This research reveals issues faced by these external factors which ultimately negatively affect foster youth’s preparedness for higher education. These issues include systemic issues amongst the child welfare agency in which liaisons identify the agency’s lack of commitment to addressing educational issues, professional staff in education institutions not accurately identifying youths academic and emotional problems or even devoted to advocating for youth, and caregivers not actively pursuing support and services for youth (Shea et al. 2010). The researchers found a consensus between the studied groups which stress “…lack of collaboration and coordination among the home, the school, and the CW agency and the existing deficiencies and obstacles that hinder more positive education outcomes for foster children and youths” (Shea et al., 253). Whereas Colvin et al. in 2010 simply identifies the suggestion that internal and external factors …show more content…
2011. "Foster Care and College." Youth & Society 45(3): 307-23.
Dworsky, Amy and Pérez, Alfred. 2010. "Helping Former Foster Youth Graduate from College through Campus Support Programs." Children and Youth Services Review 32(2): 255-63.
Font, Sarah A., Rawls, Glinda., and Unrau, Yvonne A. 2012. "Readiness for College Engagement among Students Who Have Aged out of Foster Care." Children and Youth Services Review 34(1): 76-83.
Fullerton, Ann., Geenen, Sarah., Powers, Laurie., and Quest, A. Del. 2012. "Voices of Youth in Foster Care and Special Education regarding Their Educational Experiences and Transition to Adulthood." Children and Youth Services Review 34(9):1604-615.
Phillips, Lee Ann, et al. 2015. "Better Futures: A Validated Model for Increasing Postsecondary Preparation and Participation of Youth in Foster Care with Mental Health Challenges." Children and Youth Services Review 57:50-59.
Shea, Nancy M., Weinberg, Lois., and Zetlin, Andrea. 2010. "Caregivers, School Liaisons, and Agency Advocates Speak Out about the Educational Needs of Children and Youths in Foster Care." Social Work 55(3):
Task 3: Annotated Bibliography TaShalyn Miller Old Dominion University Zima, B. T., Bussing, R., Freeman, S., Yang, X., Belin, T. R., & Forness, S. R. (n.d.). Behavior Problems, Academic Skill Delays and School Failure Among School-Aged Children in Foster Care: Their Relationship to Placement Characteristics This article discussed the behavioral issues, scholarly ability deferrals, and school dissatisfactions that children in the foster care system face. The article broadly expounds on the number and rates of child care kids who battle with these issues.
In America it is stated that 1 in every 84 children live in foster care circumstances via "Statistics on Foster Care". There is a numerous amount of contrasting children from various backgrounds and ages living within these special housing homes, and many are repeatedly in and out from unstable circumstances. As children grow and mature into the new faces of the world, they face many obstacles and tribulations that will alter their lives. Living in fostering homes is a substantial example and the effects of living in these institutions can truly be great.
In the John Burton Policy Brief on AB 12 the realities of education for foster youth are highlighted, “The rate at which foster youth complete high school (50 percent) is significantly lower than the rate at which their peers complete high school (70 percent),” (2011, p. 2). This affects chances for higher education including college degrees. This has a significant impact on the community as “aged-out” youth without services have more chance of risk for: homelessness, poverty, unemployment, going to jail, prostitution, substance abuse, early parenthood and untreated health conditions. Samuels and Pryce state that foster care has not always been a positive, developmentally appropriate experience. Youth who are
Foster Parent One: Shelly was born and raised in Avery, TX. She is the biological daughter of Delores Jackson and David Monsiviaz. Shelly was adopted by her maternal aunt and uncle, Eura and Woodrow Hicks at the age of 3, Shelly’s mother was killed in a car accident and her father was not accept by the family due to his ethnicity. Shelly reported she was informed by her adoptive parents that her biological father was dead as well. When Shelly was an adult she searched and located him, however she has never contacted him because she feels that should have been his job.
As a result, interventions have been developed to support foster youth to overcome such detrimental challenges in their academic journey. To negate the educational consequences of undergoing the foster care system, many higher education institutions have emplaced programs to encourage the academic achievement and success of foster youth in higher education. One such program is the Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) at Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC). The GSP aims to provide social, academic and financial support to foster youth in order to reduce some of the more critical
Because foster kids have often come from situations where there was little stability, a regular schedule for sibling visits and creating things they can rely on is paramount to creating a suitable environment for their growth. If you are a foster parent who is committed to making sure siblings get to see one another, even when they can't be placed in the same home, then creating a schedule of upcoming visits is a smart move.
Georgia experienced 17,148 children in the foster care system during the year of 2015 (Adopt US Kids , 2016). Children engaged in the foster care system are far more susceptible to a disruption in their biopsychosocial development. One of the leading indicators for older age youth successfully transitioning out of foster care is graduating high school. Foster youth success in school can be impacted by their foster care placement. This paper will explore the intended impact and actual impact of the qualifications for becoming a foster parent. Also, it is my intent to discuss how the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011 can enhance the foster care service delivery model. Identifying the gaps in foster care licensing policy is a preventative step in reducing youth risk factors for education neglect resulting in high school dropout. Research has shown that youth in the foster care system at an alarming rate are transferring from foster care to the penal system. It is my intention to advocate for safe foster care placements that supports the education needs of the youth.
Foster care is a program that is beautiful and lifesaving. The government has worked hard to make it an opportunity for children to access a better life and a brighter future. However, it is also a program riddled with flaws and injustices of many kind. Many have been denied a support system once they graduate out of foster care. Some entered foster care after suffering from sexual abuse, yet had dismissed court cases because they did not have enough physical evidence to properly accuse their abuser. Another major problem riddling the foster care system is the lack of mental health care for children entering the system that have been through intense amounts of trauma. This issue is very prominent, yet it receives little recognition from the
There are a multitude of reasons that students in foster care lack educational success such as unmet health needs, developmental issues, lack of stability, and emotional or psychological issues. Most importantly, however, foster care children lack educational success because of behavioral and mental health concerns, maltreatment and abuse, and placement trauma experienced while being in the foster care system. These issues are the underlying reasons that many foster care students end up on the streets, in jail, or homeless when they age out of the system. And after years of not receiving the proper
In the journal article, “Caregivers, School Liaisons, and Agency Advocates Speak Out about the Educational Needs of Children and Youths in Foster Care”, they discussed the educational need of children in foster care. 40% of children entering foster care for the first time reunify with their parents less than 12 months. As for the others, they are trapped in the foster system until they age out at 18 years old. One in four of the youth who age out are
Adolescents aging out of the foster care system face many challenges. Most youth who have reached legal adulthood have been taught essential life skills and have a safety net of family and community support systems (Paul-Ward & Lambdin-Pattavina, 2016). Foster children often age out of the system with little or no social network and lacking the skills to acquire basic necessities such as employment, housing or healthcare. The absence of these two important fundamental needs increases the likelihood of perpetuating a generational cycle of poverty, abuse/neglect, criminality and substance abuse.
The researcher looked at a combination of qualitative and quantitative studies via an electronic database to find research pertaining to the educational success of foster youth and former foster youth. The researcher further refined the search to view data specifically related to college, resiliency, educational achievement (for foster youth), and factors contributing to college success and readiness, barriers to education, academic supports, motivation, legislation and mentoring. The three research questions that guided this review of the literature included: One, what are the experiences that contributed to academic success of former foster care youth? Two, what role did the foster care system play in the academic success of foster foster care youth? Three, in what ways did former foster care youth cover come obstacles to become academically
Everywhere across the world, more and more children are being placed into foster care or a welfare type system. Foster care can benefit children or harm them; the effects of foster care differ for every individual. These types of systems often have a major effect on young children’s physiological state. Children entering in foster care are often malnourished and have untreated health problems. A high percentage of children who are placed in these types of systems have mental health, physical health, and/or developmental issue which often originates while the individuals are still in the custody of the biological parents. Children in foster care should be provided with a healthy and nurturing environment which often provides positive long term results. The age of children in a foster care varies across the world, but it is often seen that majority of these children are young (George para. 1). There are more young children in the system because younger children require more adequate care than older children that are already in the system. Placing these children in welfare systems is supposed to be a healing process for them. Although this is supposed to be a healing process, statistics say these children have a negative experience while being in these systems, but this is not always the case. A number of children in foster care fall sucker to continuous neglect and recurrent abuse with the lack of nurturing and an unstable environment. These same children often have unmet
Much of the statistics have shown that most of these youths undergo serious mental stress more than the assistance they are gaining from the fostering care facilities. Research indicates that experiences within the foster care system affect adolescents' engagement in school activities, their sibling ties, and their relationships with family members and
Hundreds of thousands of children all across The United States are in hospitals, shelters, and social service shelters with no source of comfort. No parents, and no transitional object to embrace. In foster care alone, on any given day, there are around 480,000 children in foster care. In 2015, this number spiked to 670,000 children. It is believed that these children were infants or possibly slightly older. However, the average age for a child in foster care is nine years old! Many of these children are in need of some sort of comfort item that can soothe them in the absence of a parental figure. I know first hand how beneficial a transitional item can be, for I have a blanket that I named Scea in my childhood.