Download or read book The Perspectives of Former Foster Youth About University Supports written by Jamila Aisha Salisberry and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examined the obstacles former foster youth faced during their undergraduate years at two highly selective public institutions in Southern California and the supports they say their universities provided to help them persist toward graduation. Former foster youth graduate college at a rate much lower than non-former foster youth. Extant literature around former foster youth focuses on poor outcomes such as homelessness and low academic achievement common to this population; however, the purpose of this was to discover what former foster youth say helped them to obtain their bachelor's degrees. The theoretical framework for this study was a framework of equity wherein I argued that the former foster youth's colleges were responsible for providing services to meet this population's personal and academic needs to remove any barriers to college completion. I used a phenomenological qualitative research design for this study and conducted hour-long interviews with 12 former foster youth--seven college graduates and five graduating seniors. The findings indicate that former foster youth encounter obstacles such as trouble with transferring from community colleges, mental health problems and financial struggles. According to the former foster youth of this study, key people, programs and financial aid were on-campus supports that helped them persist through their undergraduate years. The data imply that there is still a need for more tutoring and career development opportunities for this population. Overall, these twelve former foster youth tended to have positive perceptions of earning their bachelor's degrees and seemed to be resourceful in finding on-campus solutions to problems despite some barriers that proved to be ongoing obstacles. In light of the findings from this research study, educational leaders should provide consistent funding for services for former foster youth and former foster youth liaisons should implement new programming to meet former foster youth's needs as they arise.
Download or read book Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education written by Jacob P. Gross and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-15 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the attainment gap between foster youth and their peers. Specifically focusing on post-secondary access and success for foster youth, Gross points out the challenges foster youth face in the primary and secondary school context, such as being less likely to complete high school. These barriers to former foster youth continue once enrolled in post-secondary education, and can manifest as lack of institutional support, financial barriers, and limited to no familial support. The author discusses what policy makers and practitioners need to know to better support the educational attainment of former foster youth.
Download or read book Life after Foster Care written by Loring Paul Jones and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2018-08-17 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book apprises readers of the present conditions of former and emancipated foster youth, provides evidence-based best practices regarding their experiences, and proposes new policies for ensuring better outcomes for these children upon discharge from foster care. For most American youth, the transition to adulthood is gradual and aided by support from parents and others. In contrast, foster youth are expected to arrive at self-sufficiency abruptly and without the same level of support. Such an expectation may be due in part to what Loring Paul Jones has found in his research: that many of the studies conducted thus far have been fragmented and incomplete, often focusing on a particular state or agency that may follow policies not applicable nationwide. This book connects the dots between these disparate studies to provide child welfare practitioners, policy makers, and students with a broader picture of the state of American youth following discharge from foster care. It examines not only child welfare policies but also related policies in areas such as housing and education that may contribute to the success or failure of foster youth in society. It additionally draws lessons from successful programs to provide readers with the tools needed to develop foster and after-care systems that more closely mirror the support afforded to youth in the general population.
Download or read book Helping Former Foster Youth Achieve in Higher Education Through on Campus Support Programs written by Jonathan Sickinger and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Purpose: The main aim was to evaluate former foster youth on campus support programs at two universities in Southern California in these three areas, 1. the services offered 2. Student's awareness of services and 3. Student's use of services. Research question; does awareness of services lead to more use of services. Methods: A 14 item survey was created by the researcher. Surveys were distributed to participants via email, from the director of the programs. Results: Data was analyzed using descriptive frequencies and Pearson's r for correlations. Findings indicate that more than half of all participants (n=26) were aware of each of the services offered. However, the findings also indicate that more than half of participants did not use any of the services. Discussion: When evaluating the data, the researcher found significant correlations within participant's awareness of services and their use of services. Themes were analyzed for the qualitative data. Themes included more 1. money/funds for academic and living expenses, 2. more academic support, and 3. more social and academic connections.
Download or read book Resilience from the Perspective of Former Foster Youth written by Amber A. Elam and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experiencing maltreatment and being placed in foster care is associated with a number of negative outcomes throughout the life course. Thus, making sure that former foster youth have the support and sustenance they require to become resilient, educated adults is important for society and future generations. This study aimed to explore the narratives of individuals who were in the foster care system in order to examine the ways they conceptualized resilience as well as factors that they attributed contributing to their resilience. This study interviewed 7 individuals who had aged out of foster care. The interview was a semi-structured interview that prompted in- depth responses of their experiences of overcoming struggle. Recordings were then transcribed and separated into general themes that correlated with past research. The researchers found that a combination of factors lead to resilience in former foster youth. Structure and consistency appeared to be the most salient factor of resilience as well as being able to foster other areas of resilience. These other areas included self-efficacy and self-awareness. While these three factors appeared to be the most important in terms of sustaining resilience, there were a number of other themes that were significant to mention within the discussion section. The findings from this study suggest that making sure that foster youth have access to consistent support could help promote resilience in a greater number of children in the system.
Download or read book Understanding Campus Support Programs written by Bonnie Wilson Brown and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Young adults with foster care experience encounter a number of challenges related to obtaining a college degree. To assist this population in reaching their academic goals, many colleges and universities have created campus-based support programs. These programs are designed to assist former foster youth through an array of services, which range from financial aid to mentorship. However, little is known about how these programs are designed or implemented, or how effectively they are meeting the needs of this population. This dissertation sought to build upon previous research that examined the barriers faced by former foster children who are pursuing a college degree. Additionally, it sought to contextualize previous literature on the effectiveness of support programs in promoting academic success. This exploratory study employed a mixed-methods design that primarily focused on qualitative data, gathered through in-depth interviews with both former foster youth pursuing a degree and with administrators of campus-based support programs. In addition to qualitative data, this study elicited quantitative data in the form of survey responses from foster youth. The survey questions focused on the protective and resiliency factors used by this population to succeed, along with data on academic success in the form of grade point averages. The qualitative data in this study found that campus-based support was considered accessible and utilized by students, but it was not the only resource that foster care alumni relied on to succeed. The qualitative data also confirmed the importance of having a program specifically designed to meet the needs of former foster youth. Both the student participants and the program administrators spoke of the effectiveness of engagement in campus-based support; however, the quantitative data gathered in this study did not show that the utilization of campus-based support or community based support had a significant influence on academic performance.
Download or read book Fostering the System written by Troy Bailey and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The review of the literature is broken down to three subtopics. First, understanding how the foster care system works to the benefit of foster youth; fully understanding the barriers they face and resources available to them is important information guiding the expansion and improvement of programs specifically supporting the special needs of emancipated foster youth. The second subtopic is a discussion about what support services are available for transitional foster youth. The last subtopic focuses on recognizing the factors that move a foster youth toward and through college. Several resources focused on the general public's view of foster youth and higher education are identified and summarized regarding their roles in supporting the goal of understanding the reason(s) influencing a former foster youth to enter and stay in college. The purpose of this research was to answer the following question: How well do foster youth, and individuals working alongside them, know about the benefits received from higher education enrollment? In this study, the limitations, as well as the benefits, are explored to get a better understanding of how and why college is not a higher priority for foster youth. The researcher gathered qualitative data to gain more insight on foster youth going into higher education. Human subjects were accessed through the Guardian Scholars program at a public university, in the northern region of California. Established in 2006, the program currently serves 65 active, former foster youth students and provides job assistance, resume-building, and partnerships through the two large public school districts in northern California. The researcher was assisted by the college advisor of the Guardian Scholars in administering a Survey Monkey© survey to all students, professionals, and volunteers involved in the program. The survey was sent to 119 potential respondents listed on the college advisors email contact list; 42 completed the survey. It consisted of 21 questions; 17 multiple choice and four short answer. One-on-one interviews were conducted with two of the Guardian Scholars. They both took place on the public university campus. Foster youth face more adversity than their peers. Without continuing support from the community and stable, committed relationships with adults, children are not able to reach their full potential and, in fact, experience quite negative outcomes. Students who attend institutions of higher education obtain a wide range of personal, financial, and other lifelong benefits; likewise, taxpayers, and society as a whole, derive a multitude of direct and indirect benefits when citizens have access to post secondary education. Education has many benefits; individuals with higher levels of education earn more and are more likely than others to be employed and productive members of society.
Download or read book Pathways to Higher Education written by Terra Thorne and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are multiple challenges associated with being in the foster care system that inhibit academic success among this student population. As a result, an achievement gap has developed between foster youth and their peers in California's K-12 system, placing foster youth among the lowest performing students in the state (Barrat & Berliner, 2013). In recognition of the distinct challenges foster students face, California recently became the first state in the nation to identify them as a distinct student group for the purposes of K-12 funding and accountability. Under the Local Control Funding Formula, implemented in 2013, the state provides school districts supplemental funds for students with greater educational needs, including foster youth (EdSource, n.d.). However, the educational supports that foster youth need are not yet well known, and many districts are struggling to create appropriate services, teaching strategies or interventions that will help improve the academic performance of this particularly vulnerable student group. This exploratory research was developed to help inform the conversation about foster youth success, by assessing possible factors that helped former foster youth achieve an important benchmark: enrolling in college. In this study, 33 former foster youth at two Northern California State University (CSU) institutions were surveyed about the factors they believe helped them beat the odds and successfully matriculate into higher education. These factors include social support, participation in the community and noncognitive strengths, such as perseverance. The results of the survey indicate that these youth rely on a number of supports to help them matriculate into higher education. Of the assessed factors, respondents identified their 'personal strength' as the most important in helping them succeed at enrolling in college, indicating the key role that noncognitive factors may have for this population. Social support was also identified as important. In particular, students perceived social support as creating a 'college-going' culture where students saw higher education as a possibility and were provided the emotional social support that helped them enroll. These findings could help provide a foundation for further research among the academic and educational communities about which factors will best support the academic needs and noncognitive growth of foster youth in California.
Download or read book Aging Out of the Foster System written by Miranda Mosier-Puentes and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-11-12 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Decades of demographic studies and applied efforts have convinced scholars, students, and social workers that young people coming of age and transitioning out of the foster care system face great challenges in health, education, income, and general well-being. Despite the wealth of research on these outcomes, we know much less about the lived experiences of young people leaving foster care. Aging Out of the Foster System: Youths' Perspectives adds to this narrative the personal experiences of young people who are aging out or have aged out of their child welfare placement. The authors center the stories of these young people and apply critical ethnographic methods to frame their accounts with attention to the encounters within which they were produced, including power imbalances, institutional contexts, and relational dynamics. By centering the experiences of youths in these contexts and attending to the larger forces at work, this book helps connect the dots between youth aging out of the foster care system, social workers in Independent Living Programs, and the professors and scholars teaching the next generations of professionals working to support the aging out process.
Download or read book Narratives of Former Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Kathleen Brien Douthat and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to learn about the experiences of former foster youth in higher education. Nationwide, 26,547 youth emancipate from foster care each year. Former foster youth who continue with education beyond high school may elect to receive supportive services through the state's independent living program. Although these services are intended to provide the necessary support while the youth completes a post-secondary degree program, research has shown that fewer former foster youth enter college and complete a degree than their non-former foster youth peers. Further, there has been very little research that explores firsthand experiences of former foster youth as college students. Narrative inquiries are most suited for small numbers of participants in qualitative research studies. Moreover, the best way to understand the human experience is to hear it firsthand from those who have lived it. For this study, eight former foster youth were interviewed about their experiences in foster care and as students in a large, southeastern U.S. community college. Findings from the data were presented as profiles in the youth's own words and through an analysis of the themes found across interviews. Two over-arching topics that relate to the research questions were addressed: meaning-making experiences and identity construction. Within those two topics are themes that support each one. The findings revealed that meaning is made through the transitions former foster youth have experienced, the preparation for college they have had, the connections they have made, and whether or not they feel in control of their lives. The resulting themes of crisis, commitment, transformation, and confidence help to understand how identity is constructed for these youth.
Download or read book Crossing Bridges written by Ja'Net Adrienne Roberson and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The retention and persistence of students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions was the focus of this qualitative study. Former foster care youth resided in out-of-home care with state approved guardians who received funding and monitoring of services. When enrolled in college, foster care youth require more support than students who never experience foster care. A small number of four-year college institutions provide interventions to retain foster care students. The research sought to identify best practices and to establish a foundation for research. Foster care youth often have a history of abusive and neglectful life experiences. It is fundamental to assure that these students are provided with the appropriate resources to ensure persistence and success. By doing so, institutions may be able to increase student retention and completion. The conceptual framework reflects the historical context of students. The outcome of several different retention efforts is discussed. Finally, the literature explored access to higher education for former foster care youth. The research is aimed to provoke further research, best practice, and to inform research. Four research questions guided the investigation concerning the lived experiences of students who have come from the foster care system and who are enrolled in four-year college institutions. The stories former foster youth told about their interaction with faculty and staff in four-year college institutions inform this study. Four themes emerged from A Narrative Inquiry into Transitioning from Foster Care to College iii the study, (1) campus-based support as an external support, financial support, family as an internal support, transition and access. Through the stories told we learned that former foster care youth require external support in the form of campus-based support, a direct liaison who is assigned to former foster care youth. Internal support is important in assuring consistency, a place to call home and lasting friendships. Financial aid is the driving force that allows former foster care youth to persist. Transition support is crucial in properly progressing into college and adulthood for foster care youth. Finally, best practices are discussed for monitoring success in students who come from the foster care system and are enrolled in four-year college institutions.
Download or read book Helping Former Foster Youth Graduate from College written by Amy Lynn Dworsky and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 69 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Alexandra S. Hattick and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Foster youth face barriers unmatched by their non-foster peers, particularly in the arena of academic achievement. Although a majority (84%) of foster youth report aspirations of attending higher education, only 5% graduate by age 22 or 23, compared to non-foster youth in the same age group, who graduate at a rate of 30% (Courtney et al., 2010; Courtney, Terao, & Bost, 2004). The current study describes factors from the perspective of 13 foster care alumni that supported them in the process of gaining acceptance to college and graduating. Supportive factors and resilience theories provided the framework that guided the research. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, foster care alumni who completed at least a 2- or 4-year degree were interviewed. Five common themes were identified in narratives of these individuals: exposure to validating environments, availability of pre-college informational and appraisal supports, motivating factors, and the presence of expectation.
Download or read book Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Jennifer Lynn Johnson Bailey and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Social Capital Former Foster Youth Need to Access and Persist Through Community College written by Celedonio Jr De Leon and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brief Literature Review Of approximately 300,000 former foster youth between the ages of 18 and 25, about half obtain a high school diploma (Emerson, 2007). Aside from trauma or abuse, various factors stand in the way of their academic success. Of the 150,000 former foster youth who do graduate from high school, only about 30,000 actually attend college or a university (Wolanin, 2005). This population continues to age out of the system and is unprepared for independent living. There is a smaller percentage of former foster youth persisting through college and obtaining a college degree as compared to the general population (Casey Family Program, 2011). Statement of the Problem In efforts to support future former foster youth access and persistence through community college, this study examined what types of social capital contribute to a former foster youth's ability to access and persist through community college. The following questions were addressed: 1. How do former foster youth define the social capital that influenced them to access and persist through community college? 2. What types of social capital should be enhanced upon acceptance to community college? 3. In what ways can former foster youth independently gain the social capital needed to access and persist through community college? Methodology The researcher utilized a survey aimed at capturing the experiences and knowledge of former foster youth currently attending community college with regard to the social capital that assisted them to access and persist through community college. The author examined the types of social capital identified by former foster youth to determine common themes and specific sources of social capital. Conclusions and Recommendations This study concluded that former foster youth benefit from various sources of social capital within their network consisting of educational and child welfare supports. Through mentoring relationships and institutional support, former foster youth gather social capital that allows them the insight and knowledge to access and remain enrolled in college.
Download or read book Breaking the Cycle Together Foster Youth in High School and the Impact of Adult Supporters written by Darlene Neal and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each year there are over 400,000 youth living in out-of-home placement across the nation due to alleged child abuse, neglect, the loss of a parent(s), and/or behavior problems. As a result of being removed from their homes and moving between different placements and schools, foster youth can experience high levels of stress and developmental challenges as they struggle to cope with such extreme emotional turbulence. Each year 6% of these foster youth will transition out of care, leaving them with no support in the way of family or program assistance to help with housing, job placement, or options in higher education. Of the 6% of students who age out of the system each year, 5-13% enroll in higher education institutions and only 2% will graduate and obtain a bachelor's or other advanced degree. As it is seemingly uncommon for foster youth to matriculate to postsecondary education, I examined how successful foster youth transitioned out of care and chose to further their education at an academically rigorous institution. Through former foster youth' own accounts of their success during high school which led them to UCLA, as well as the perspectives of the adults who supported them in their educational journey, I examined common threads in what contributed to their positive educational outcomes despite the harsh realities they experienced. Using a sequential multiple methods study, former foster youth who are currently enrolled at UCLA were surveyed and interviewed to provide the context of their successful journey through K-12 and onto higher education. The adults involved in these youth' academic success were also interviewed to gain further insight into the supports needed for foster youth as they prepared and decided to pursue their studies at a university. My findings show that adult supporters provided guidance, emotional support, and stability, which allowed students to move out of their negative past experiences. Adults' willingness to assist youth and be a part of their lives provided students with a transformative academic and social emotional environment, furthering their ability to persist through high school and gain acceptance to a top-tier university.
Download or read book Foster Youth Who Have Succeeded in Higher Education written by Thomas Lovitt and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The publication is based on interviews conducted by Casey Family Programs with eight foster youth who graduated from college to learn their perspectives on going to college and obtaining a degree despite numerous barriers. This report presents fifteen major themes concerning college success and their general outlook on life. Their accomplishments suggest that all young people, including foster youth and youth with disabilities, can succeed academically given adequate support and advocacy from educators, professionals, and their caregivers. The perspectives of these graduates on going to college and earning a degree, despite various barriers, presents an opportunity to learn how other young adults like them might be better supported.
