Download or read book An Examination of the Educational Trajectory of Foster Care Alumni Regarding the Social Capital Held by Their Foster Parents written by Adina N. Lundy (Ed.D. candidate at the University of Hartford) and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the educational trajectory of foster care alumni regarding the social capital held by their foster parents as it relates to college access by employing the framework advanced by Perna and Titus (2005) which was based on Bourdieu and Passeron (1990). This age group was chosen because despite educational reform interventions within k-12, a college readiness gap remains (Choy, 2002). The college journey starts as early as grade school, a time in which remedial limitations may be diagnosed and addressed. Research by Reed (1996) showed that 17% of foster children require remedial instruction at the grade school level but fail to be diagnosed as a result of poor agency coordination. As a society we have, by default, consented to the removal of children from their biological homes. The foster home, therefore, is tasked with providing a nurturing setting that is an improvement from the biological home setting from which the child is removed. The foster parent, then, should engage in behavior change interventions that can be observed in the school setting, take corrective action when poor agency coordination occurs, expedite the individual education plan, encourage the foster child and monetize materials of value for the child for the duration that the child remains in placement. This study addressed a gap in the literature by evaluating intelligence from foster care alumni. Educational advocacy, by the foster parent, on behalf of the foster child is a prerequisite if foster youth are to meet benchmarks that indicate long term survival. Foster youth reported the lack of long-term adult support as a barrier to persistence in education. Employing the conceptual framework of Perna and Titus (2005) this study examined what foster alumni reported regarding the social capital held by their foster caregivers as it related to college access.

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 Foster Care Alumni written by Beatrix F Perez and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book From Foster Care to College written by Royel M. Johnson and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2024-10 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do youth placed in foster care aspire to and access college? This book chronicles the lives and experiences of 47 college students navigating the challenging terrain of the United States’ foster care system. Through insightful, in-depth interviews, Johnson offers insight into the harsh realities of how our nationÕs education, welfare, and other social systems often intertwine in ways that diminish the potential and opportunities for these young people. Yet amidst the adversities, these stories resonate with themes of hope, resistance, and possibility. Guided by resilience theory and other asset-based concepts, Johnson sheds light on the protective mechanisms that enable postsecondary access and success, even in the face of towering barriers. Beyond exposition, this book is a clarion call to educators, school and university leaders, and child welfare champions to stand tall and act decisively. The goal? To transform the precarious circumstances of young people in foster care, and dismantle the obstacles that thwart their educational pursuits and dreams. Book Features: Employs critical and asset-based theories and concepts that recognize the agencies, desires, and possibilities of youth in foster care.Brings attention to the intersectionality of identities and social structures that shape students’ educational pathways.Identifies system failures across education and child welfare sectors and how they interact with one another.Presents findings from empirical research about risks and protective factors that influence success at critical junctures along the college-going pipeline.Offers recommendations for various stakeholders who seek to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of youth in foster care.

Download or read book It Takes a Village an Examination of Educational Achievement Among Transition age Youth in Foster Care written by Khalilah L. Caines and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the 20,000 youth that exit the foster care system each year in the United States, educational achievement is difficult to attain as they navigate the transition into adulthood with limited supports and resources (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2021). These youth are three times more likely to drop out of high school than their counterparts. Only 50% graduate from high school, and only 3% obtain a college degree (Courtney et al., 2011). Current efforts to support this population primarily focus on individual, relational, and economic factors with less consideration for the impact of community characteristics on educational outcomes. This study utilized Catalano and Hawkins' (1996) Social Development Model as a theoretical framework for an examination of the county-level percentage of youth who demonstrated educational achievement at the age of 18 and ten county-level risk and protective factors. Secondary data for a sample of counties within Florida (n = 57, 55, 55, 52, & 55) were gathered from multiple government sources from the years 2018 to 2022 respectively, and then merged and linked at the county level, allowing for separate analysis before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic for each year. Sample sizes varied across years and ranged from 52 to 57. Four linear regression models were tested for each year in the sample except for 2021 as no factors were found to have a significant association with educational achievement in 2021 at the bivariate level. Results varied by year with county-level poverty having a significant positive association at the bivariate level with educational achievement in the years 2018, 2019, and 2022 and significantly predicted educational achievement in 2019 in a linear regression model. High school dropout rates also had a significant positive correlation with educational achievement in the years 2018 and 2022 and unemployment rates had a significant positive correlation with achievement in 2018. Participation in organized sports and school band had significant negative associations with educational achievement in the years 2018, 2020, and 2022 at the bivariate level and regression models revealed participation in organized sports and school band significantly predicted educational achievement in 2018 and 2020 respectively. Given that the effects had an unexpected direction, findings from this study do not support the use of SDM in understanding county-level educational outcomes for youth exiting foster care. However, results point to the need to test alternative frameworks, such as those that suggest limited economic opportunities as drivers of educational enrollment and other frameworks that emphasize the negative effects that a lack of social capital can have on youth in environments where participation in extracurricular activities is valued. The combination of this county-level study and past studies from the individual level point to a need for future exploration through multi-level modeling, which could disentangle individual effects of risk and protective factors from contextual effects of the community.

Download or read book An Examination of Post secondary Education Access Retnetion and Success of Foster Care Youth written by Angelique Day and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Changes in the U.S. economy have made the attainment of a higher education credential more important than ever to ensure self-sufficiency. Therefore, it is critical that the child welfare, K-12, and higher education systems encourage and support the postsecondary educational aspirations of court wards. When the state makes the decision to remove a child from his/her biological home, it bears the responsibility to provide the educational guidance as well as assistance otherwise provided by families during the transition from high school to college. This dissertation explores the educational outcomes of older youth in care by first looking at the perception of high school aged foster youth in identifying the barriers and pathways they face in graduating from high school and accessing college and then will investigate persistence in post-secondary education for a sample of foster care alumni who are enrolled at a four-year college. The first study investigates the barriers and pathways high school and college-aged foster care youth face in completeing high school and in transitioning from high school to college using action research strategies, which are based on an empowerment theoretical framework. The second study follows a cohort of students who were able to successfully enroll in a four-year university and tracks persistence in their post-secondary education program using two logistic regression models. The final study takes a look at the same cohort of university enrolled students, but tracks time varying indicators including persistence to graduation and academic achievement of the students throughout their post-secondary journey through the use of discrete time hazard models. Paper two aims to address whether having a placement history in the foster care system predicts dropping out, controlling for gender and race. Paper three examines the issue of college persistence by using an event history analysis to model relative risk of graduation from college over time. Study three also includes an additional time varying covariate, academic performance (GPA), and examines whether academic achievement predicts time to graduation. Although each paper is independent, they are connected by the common theme of college access and persistence of young people who have aged out of the foster care system. The benefit to the author of the three-paper method is that the task of submitting the findings of the study for publication is eased as the dissertation contains three stand-alone articles. A drawback for the reader of the three-paper method is that there is redundancy in reading the same sections in each paper. The reader is encouraged to keep in mind that some information may be redundant when read as a whole document.

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 Investigating the Predictors of Postsecondary Education Success and Post college Life Circumstances of Foster Care Alumni written by Amy Michele Salazar and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a group, youth who have spent time in foster care are far behind the general population in postsecondary educational attainment. Nevertheless, most do hold aspirations for higher education. For those who make it to college, foster care alumni face a variety of obstacles related to successful postsecondary completion. However, it is unclear whether the factors that affect postsecondary success in this population are similar to those identified for other college students or more unique to the distinctive experience of being in foster care. Furthermore, while there is general consensus that higher education is beneficial to foster care alumni in overcoming adversity, no study has examined how foster care alumni who graduate from college actually fare in their adult lives compared with the general population of college graduates, or with those in the general population who did not graduate college. The study aims first to identify the predictors of postsecondary retention and success using survey data from a cross-sectional sample of foster care alumni who received Casey Family Scholarship Program or Orphan Foundation of America Foster Care to Success postsecondary scholarships. Second, the study compares adult outcomes of foster care alumni graduates with general population graduates and general population non-graduates to explore the role higher education plays in these youths' lives. Results are interpreted in relation to Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, theories of educational persistence and motivation, trauma theory, and theories related to other difficulties of being in foster care. Analyses include bivariate examinations of postsecondary factors and their relation to college disengagement; discrete-time survival analysis of general college retention factors and factors more unique to the foster care population in predicting college graduation; and multivariate comparisons (ANOVA's, ANCOVA's, and chi-squares) of foster youth graduates and non-foster youth graduates and non-graduates in relation to their post-college life circumstances. In bivariate comparisons of general population factors related to retention, five of the nine factors (academic-related skills, institutional commitment, social support, social involvement, and institutional financial support) had at least one indicator with a significant or trend-level relationship with college disengagement. In bivariate comparisons of foster care-specific factors related to retention, four out of the seven factors (maltreatment/ trauma/PTSD, other mental health problems, independent living stability, tangible support) had at least one item with a significant or trend-level relationship with college disengagement. Comparing the two separate factor models, the general population factor group modeled the data slightly better in predicting college graduation than the foster care-specific factor model. No model improvement was found when foster care-specific factors were added into the general population factor model. Both general population and foster care alumni graduates fared more positively than general population non-graduates for three post-college factors: individual income, financial satisfaction, and happiness. Only the general population graduates were found to be faring better than general population non-graduates on a variety of other factors. Foster youth graduates fared less positively than general population graduates on a variety of post-college outcomes. Results have implications for policy and practice regarding the most effective means of supporting postsecondary aspirations of youth with foster care experience.

Download or read book An Ex post Theory of Change Assessment of Foster Care Alumni Support Services Within a Higher Education System written by Leandra A. Harris and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Foster Care Alumni (FCAs), or individuals who left the foster care system either by aging out, adoption, or returning to their family of origin, typically make up a small, fragmented portion of the student body at higher education institutions. This group is increasingly referred to as Foster Scholars on higher education campuses. FCAs tend to have unique and significant challenges like lack of support, need for mental and emotional health services, financial needs beyond tuition and campus fees, and the need for enhanced academic support. This dissertation provides an understanding of FCAs and their academic, emotional, and social needs. It looks at how the State University of New York (SUNY) higher education system uses the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) to address these needs. By conducting an ex-post Theory of Change assessment, this study weighs SUNY’s espoused theories-of-action against their participating campus’ theories-in-use to understand the level of implementation fidelity at the institutional level. This study also sought to determine if campuses align with holistic FCA program services, as defined by this study. Survey results determined that most participating SUNY campuses align with FYCSI policy, with at least six of the eighteen campuses also aligning with FYCSI and holistic FCA program services.

Download or read book A Million Piece Jigsaw Puzzle written by and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A college education offers people social and economic benefits, yet youth from foster care backgrounds are less likely than their peers to attain a college education, which places this already vulnerable population at higher risk for a lifetime of living on the margins of society. Foster alumni face multiple obstacles to accessing and persisting in higher education. To facilitate and support the success of this frequently overlooked population, professionals in higher education need to understand these obstacles. Little is known about the experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds as they transition into and through higher education. Although existing research has reported the academic, health, and social effects of having been in foster care, little is known about why foster alumni do not persist in higher education. This study used student-development theory, specifically Schlossberg's transition theory, Tinto's theory of student departure, and Bourdieu's work on social and cultural capital to provide a conceptual framework through which to view the lived experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds. Because, for many youths with foster care backgrounds, the pathway to the baccalaureate degree is through a community college, this study examined and explored the transition experiences of foster alumni about to begin or currently enrolled at an Oregon Community College. The study explored the factors that challenge and facilitate foster alumni persistence towards the attainment of a college degree.

Download or read book Strengthening Social Networks of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care written by Rachel Rosenberg and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the transition to adulthood, youth often rely on the people in their life for support. However, for transition-aged foster youth, these supports may not be available or may look different than supports available to youth in the general population. Relationships with supportive adults have been found to help former foster youth transition to adulthood, but little is known about the adults youth have in their network. Foster youth who report increased levels of social capital have been shown to experience higher levels of success in young adulthood. However, as former foster youth transition to adulthood, a lack of in-depth understanding of supportive adults and social networks creates difficulties identifying--and addressing--potential gaps in their social network. This study aims to gain a better understanding of how social networks influence social support and access to and mobilization of social capital as youth leave the foster care system. A social network assessment based on two existing measures was created to attain a better understanding of the social networks of transition-aged foster youth. The new social network tool was piloted with a group of young adults prior to use in this study. This social network tool allowed for an in-depth understanding of social networks, social support, and social capital as three distinct constructs. The social network characteristics included: on whom the youth relies for support, how the relationship developed, and the closeness of the relationship. Social support included: questions on the type of support available to youth (resources, emotional, advice, or constructive criticism), as well as the social support domains (housing, education, employment, relationships, and transportation). Social capital was examined based on questions about network members' occupation(s) and frequency of communication between the youth and each network member. Univariate, Bivariate, and Multivariate analyses were utilized to examine social network characteristics, foster care history, social support, and social capital. The mean network size of sample participants was 7.1 and the range was 0--36. A relationship between placement type and social network members was found; indicating that youth in congregate care were more likely to have formal (social service related) networks than youth not in congregate care. A relationship between having more informal network members and housing stability was found; indicating that different network members may help youth with different young adult outcomes. A relationship between both access to, and mobilization of, social capital was found based on the type of social network members (formal, informal, familial-biological, familial-foster). Based on the findings of the current study, research and practice implications are discussed. These include the utility of social network analysis with transition-aged foster youth, future lines of inquiry, and suggested practice/policy shifts.

Download or read book Our Stories un told written by Mauriell H. Amechi and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children and youth who occupy this nation's foster care system are considered one of the most educationally underserved populations in both K-12 and higher education (GAO, 2016). While previous research (e.g., Courtney et al., 2011) emphasizes their deficits in the education pipeline, we are just beginning to understand the experiences of academically successful foster youth. Given the need to improve educational outcomes for underrepresented populations, this critical qualitative study explored how 12 foster care alumni cultivated postsecondary goals, and leveraged multiple forms of capital to navigate the complexities of the enrollment process at selective institutions. Informed by two asset-based theories, Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth framework and Harper's (2012) Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, I explored two central research questions: How were aspirations for postsecondary education cultivated by high-achieving foster care alumni currently enrolled in college? Also, how do foster care alumni employ cultural wealth to enhance their access to selective four-year institutions? This study found that both internal and external influences were catalysts for participants' postsecondary aspirations. Despite enduring significant disadvantages and unforeseen obstacles in the educational system, self-reports from respondents reflected resiliency and optimism for the future. Academically successful foster youth acquired essential support from institutional agents in schools and social services agencies. Respondents shared several examples of how significant others-including social workers, elementary and secondary school teachers, guidance counselors, and extended family members,-served as sources of inspiration, guidance, emotional support, and stability during pivotal moments in the educational system. Notwithstanding their status as first-generation students, they achieved college admission by employing at least five distinct categories of capital, namely, aspirational, social, resistant, familial and navigational. The final chapter includes implications for policy, research, and theory with an emphasis on enhancing enrollment and persistence.

Download or read book An Exploration of Foster Youth Academic Performance Trajectories and Predictors of Group Membership written by Kristine Frerer and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many maltreated youth between the ages of eight and fourteen, challenges associated with the family environment and entry into foster care placement compromises their ability to function and learn. Though prior research indicates that the educational attainment of foster youth is poor, negative performance is reported as though it is a unitary phenomenon among foster students, overlooking population heterogeneity. While collectively foster youth may have increased risk due to maltreatment and removal from home, correlates including educational risks prior to entry, child welfare case characteristics, and residential and school changes may be associated with differences in foster youth academic performance trajectories. Performance levels on the California Standards Test in English language arts and math are followed longitudinally for four years for first-time entries to foster care from two California counties between school years 2003 and 2006. In addition to an all foster youth sample, foster youth are matched closely to students in the general population by Propensity Score Matching on key educational risks and performance level the year prior to foster care entry. Covariates include achievement gap variables such as ethnicity, disability, and English language learner status in addition to six child welfare case characteristics and five time sensitive residential and school change factors. Group-based analysis and multinomial logistic regression are used to determine the number and type of distinct academic performance trajectories and to examine whether group membership is associated with out of home placement, education risk factors, and child welfare case characteristics. As variance within academic performance is indicated by six distinct English language arts and five math academic performance trajectories, findings support the current research approach to explore heterogeneity with educationally vulnerable populations. Analyses indicate that foster youth and comparison student academic performance trajectories in English and math are similar which suggests that educational vulnerability for foster youth is related to characteristics that exist prior to placement in out of home care. These findings are echoed in the foster youth sample, where pre-placement educational risks are more salient predictors of negative trajectories than experiences associated with foster care placement. For some foster youth, residential and school changes lead to decreased adjustment and academic performance. In particular, poor English academic trajectories are associated with same year normative school transitions and entrance into foster care. Overall, lower performing trajectory groups are defined by an increased number of education risks present at entry and residential and school changes in the first year of placement. Group-based analysis can be an important statistical method for both child welfare and education personnel. Youth entering out of home placement or those identified as at-risk are not homogenous groups. Rather, there are meaningful subgroups within these populations that follow distinctive educational trajectories. By identifying clusters or groups of student trajectories, profiles of characteristics within and among groups can aid in uncovering educational strengths and challenges and lead to policies and practices which support improved academic trajectories for vulnerable youth.

Download or read book Examining the Educational Experience of Foster Children Through the Perspective and Expectations of Multiple Adult Stakeholders written by Kevin Kowalczyk and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are roughly 400,000 children in the foster care system throughout the United States. Many of these children enter care after experiencing some sort of physical or emotional trauma. This trauma has a potentially damaging impact on the educational achievement of this scarred population. The data show that these children are at high risk for poor educational achievement. With the help of caring adults, these children can overcome barriers and achieve academic success. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the educational experience of students in foster care through the perspective and expectations of multiple stakeholders and to investigate the role that stakeholders play in the educational achievement of foster children. This qualitative study gained insight into the perspective that stakeholders have of the educational experience of foster children. In addition, this study investigated the expectations that stakeholders have of the educational achievement of foster children. Adult stakeholders0́4including foster parents, caseworkers, and school officials0́4are important for children in foster care as they serve as advocates and as a source of consistent educational support. The participants in the study included three certified foster parents, three caseworkers and four school officials who have all had contact with school-age foster children. Through the use of open-ended interview questions, the researcher gained insight into the perspective that stakeholders have of the educational experiences of foster children in their care, as well as the expectations they have for the academic achievement of the foster child. The study identified seven themes0́4including trauma, relationships, impactful people, established habits, communication, realistic expectations, and motivation0́4that stakeholders believe contribute to the academic successes and failures of children in foster care. The theoretical framework selected to better understand the stakeholders' perceptions and expectations of the achievement of foster children, and their role in impacting foster children's educational experiences, was Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model (1979). Limitations, recommendations for future studies, and implications for practice were also discussed.

Download or read book A Qualitative Exmamination i e Examination of the Perceived Impact of Foster Care on Biological Children of Foster Parents written by Stephene A. Diepstra and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book From Foster Care to Baccalaureate and Beyond written by Samuel Jennings Greer and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children in America's foster care system represent one of the nation's most vulnerable populations of students. The life outcomes of these children can be tragic, with disproportionate numbers experiencing prison, homelessness, non-marital parenthood, and other poor life outcomes. Many of these children have suffered trauma before and after they were placed in care, and many have special medical, emotional, and social needs. Of all the difficulties that foster children experience, however, low academic achievement may have the most detrimental consequences for their futures. The purpose of this study is to explore the commonalities of the 2-3% of former foster children who graduate from college despite the odds against them. By delving into the experiences of this population, this study hopes to contribute to the research by improving our understanding of academically successful foster care alumni, particularly by studying the social and educational support systems that abetted the success. Because a majority of foster care alumni remain on some form of public assistance throughout the course of their lives, any reduction of that number would be a step in the right direction. By studying the tiny minority that successfully graduates from college, we can gain insight into how this group managed to overcome the barriers that prevented the other 97% of this group from graduating from college. The findings could have implications ranging from K-12 educational support systems in and out of schools, higher education policy decisions, and foster care program design.

Download or read book Assessing the Long term Effects of Foster Care written by Thomas Patrick McDonald and published by CWLA Press (Child Welfare League of America). This book was released on 1996 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What lasting impact has foster care had on the adult lives of former foster children? Noting how trends in expectations and outcomes in foster care have changed over the past 30 years, this comprehensive and critical review of the impact foster care has had on children provides a framework for the critical assessment of trends in programs and policies; identifies what is known and not known concerning the impact of foster care; and offers recommendations for future data collection and research, as well as program and policy development. A welcome addition to the literature for program administrators, policymakers, and researchers in the child welfare field.