Individuals that Have Been in the Foster Care System and Their Perception of Academic Achievement and Attainment of Higher Eduaction

Individuals that Have Been in the Foster Care System and Their Perception of Academic Achievement and Attainment of Higher Eduaction
Author: Monic Johnson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 39
Release: 2016
Genre:
ISBN:

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore the perceptions of African American former and or current foster care youth and their perception of academic achievement and attainment of higher education. This study aims to find the educational experiences of individuals that have been in foster care and to learn how their experience contributed to their perception of higher education. The study included in-depth interviews of 8 participants, all of whom are current or were former foster youth. These in-depth interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. The data was first coded by topics and then grouped into themes. Analysis of four main themes and eight subthemes emerged from the perceptions of the participants of this study in regards to higher educational attainment. The main themes were family, school, community, and self-reliance. The subthemes were: parent or guardian support, family or other support outside of a parent or guardian, supportive educational professionals, support from high school and college programs, child welfare caseworkers or social workers, outreach resources for foster parents/guardians, self-advocacy and resilience. This study uses qualitative interviews to add to existing research, in that the research strives for a holistic understanding of academic achievement and attainment of higher education amongst African Americans that have been in care. Early implementation programs for college readiness, financial literacy, and professional development is drawn from this data.

From Foster Care to College

From Foster Care to College
Author: Steve J. Rios
Publisher:
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2008
Genre: Academic achievement
ISBN:

Despite increased Federal, state, and local efforts in the United States to improve outcomes among young adults who emancipate from foster care, low educational achievement and attainment continue to characterize this vulnerable subpopulation. Approximately 50% of foster children do not obtain a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED). Only about 20% of former foster children enroll in college, compared to 60% of youth not in foster care. The purpose of this study was to explore, describe and explain the perceptions of college students who had lived in foster care regarding the external and internal influences that impacted their academic achievement and attainment. Interviews with a purposefully selected sample of 24 Florida college students were conducted; transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically. Findings included that participants experienced a particular set of external and internal influences at school, in foster care settings, and in the community. External influences include interactions with (a) multiple non-relative guardians and case workers, (b) relatives, especially siblings, (c) mentors, (d) teachers and school administrators, and (e) school counselors. Internal influences include the barriers of anger and bad behavior and a newly identified set of internal characteristics, called success strengths by the researcher, that promote academic achievement and college attainment. Implications are as follows: (a) Future theory on academic achievement concerning foster youth should reflect the importance of the affective aspect of school interactions. (b) Policy should mandate awareness training for educators, social workers, and other adults who work with former foster youth to increase professionals' awareness of the barriers, supports and success strengths that impact the academic lives of children and youth in foster care. (c) Adult educators and human resource development professionals should develop and implement appropriate new education and training materials and interventions. Future research may include a similar interview with former foster youth who graduated from college and with foster youth who leave school before graduating. Finally, a study with a nationally representative sample of college enrolled former foster children should be conducted to determine the relative importance of the barriers, supports and success strengths identified in this study.

An Examination of Post-secondary Education Access, Retnetion, and Success of Foster Care Youth

An Examination of Post-secondary Education Access, Retnetion, and Success of Foster Care Youth
Author: Angelique Day
Publisher:
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2011
Genre: Foster home care
ISBN:

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.

Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education

Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education
Author: Jacob P. Gross
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2019-05-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 331999459X

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.

Social Work with Looked After Children

Social Work with Looked After Children
Author: Christine Cocker
Publisher: Learning Matters
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2019-04-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1526451573

This practical book looks at the experiences of children in need who live in state care and the social worker′s role in working with them. This is a popular guide to this complex and demanding area of practice. There are chapters on communication and children′s rights, life story work, attachment and culture, ethnicity and faith. Throughout the book there are sections on supporting legislation and policy for children in residential care, foster care, adoption and leaving care. Key features include: Practical links between theory and practice Includes law and policy relevant to looked-after children Information on understanding statistics Contains lots of practical activities

Pathways to Higher Education

Pathways to Higher Education
Author: Terra Thorne
Publisher:
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN:

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.

The Impact of Foster Care on Pursuit of Higher Education

The Impact of Foster Care on Pursuit of Higher Education
Author: Tiffany Barker
Publisher:
Total Pages: 212
Release: 2014
Genre: Foster children
ISBN:

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau, the foster care population currently includes nearly 400,000 children (2013). In 2012, in California alone, over 43,000 students in grades K-12 were in foster care. Research has shown students in every type of placement performed far worse than their non-foster care peers. Furthermore, in high school, students in foster care had the highest dropout rates and the lowest graduations than any other students (Wiegmann et.al 2014). This academic achievement gap demonstrates foster youth are at an extreme disadvantage compared to their counterparts who never experience foster care. If foster youth perform behind their peers in primary school, this achievement gap is likely to follow them on their path to higher education. Other researchers have found only 20% of former foster youth who meet college entrance requirements actually go to college (Unrau et al. 2012) and less than six percent of former foster youth have a college education (Fessler 2010). These facts reveal foster care negatively impacts students' academic performance and their ability to receive higher education. The present study looks at former foster youth who have graduated from high school and have successfully transitioned into higher education. In-depth interviews with ten former foster youth currently enrolled in a California State University were conducted in order to answer the following research question, "How have former foster youth currently enrolled in college been prepared and challenged on their path to higher education?" The interviews were analyzed and coded. Four themes emerged from the data: 1. Choosing to Take the Road towards Higher Education, 2. Educational Resources and Support Networks, 3. Finding Support and Strength, and 4. Personal Motivation and Self-Reliance. Personal backgrounds, religious beliefs, and past experiences from student's macrosystems and chronosystems motivated them to pursue higher education. Various support networks, financial assistance, and education resources associated with their exosystem helped prepare students for the academic barriers they would encounter on their path to conquering their academic goals. Lastly, assistance and support from family, friends, teachers, and other microsystems as well as their own personal motivation and self-reliance enabled their dreams of going to college to become a reality. Using the Bioecological Systems theory, this research revealed how different ecological systems have both negatively and positively affected interviewees' abilities to become successful college students.

Examining the Educational Experience of Foster Children Through the Perspective and Expectations of Multiple Adult Stakeholders

Examining the Educational Experience of Foster Children Through the Perspective and Expectations of Multiple Adult Stakeholders
Author: Kevin Kowalczyk
Publisher:
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

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.

Social Psychology in Forensic Practice

Social Psychology in Forensic Practice
Author: Joel Harvey
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2022-12-21
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1317197674

This book explores how different social psychology theories and concepts can be applied to practice. Considering theories from attribution theory to coercion theory, social identity theories to ostracism, the authors offer a greater understanding and appreciation of the ways in which social psychology can contribute to forensic practice. The book argues that social psychology is useful for carrying out assessments (including risk assessments), formulations, and interventions with clients in forensic settings, as well as for psychological consultation, training, and the development of services. These theories are also important when understanding multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working, staff–client relationships, and peer-to-peer relationships. Through illustrative composite case examples, taken from the authors’ experiences in forensic settings, the chapters demonstrate effective ways to pursue a theoretically informed practice. Exploring a broad range of theories and a timely topic, Social Psychology in Forensic Practice will interest a wide readership including graduate and undergraduate students and researchers in criminology, sociology, and forensic, social and clinical psychology. It will also be of practical use to health professionals and non-health professionals working in forensic settings as well as policy makers and others commissioning forensic services.