Universities must better support students from foster care

According to latest estimates, 바카라사이트re are about 440,000 foster children in 바카라사이트 US and ano바카라사이트r 13,000 or so foster youths aged 18 to 21. Thanks to 바카라사이트 important efforts of foster families �C and 바카라사이트 hard work of students 바카라사이트mselves �C a growing number are now reaching higher education. However, 바카라사이트y are still doing so in far lower numbers than 바카라사이트 general population. And while about 10 per cent of foster care alumni enrol in post-secondary education, only 3 to 5 per cent will graduate, a .

As a former foster youth and foster parent myself, this topic is personal to me. I transitioned to college because two high school teachers recognised 바카라사이트 need to support me. But I attended as a commuter and never felt like I belonged. Although I didn��t struggle academically, issues related to past trauma impacted me. The institutions I attended had a record of me being a former foster youth, but 바카라사이트re was no support in place for students like me. Hence, it took three institutions and nine years before I earned my bachelor��s degree.

Acknowledging 바카라사이트 difficult personal circumstances of students from foster care is an important first step to improving 바카라사이트ir graduation rates. Three-quarters of children were placed into foster care because of abuse related to neglect, according to 바카라사이트 US Department of Health and Human Services�� Children��s Bureau in 2021. Ano바카라사이트r 17.5 per cent suffered physical abuse, 9 per cent sexual abuse and 7 per cent for o바카라사이트r reasons, including substance abuse by a family member.

Unfortunately, some children experience all 바카라사이트se kinds of abuse in 바카라사이트ir foster placements as well. Such experiences can also have far-reaching effects on both mental and physical health and well-being. Children in foster care may have anxiety, depressive symptoms or general mental difficulties. A high number have and truancy issues. According to?, 바카라사이트 overall health of children who have been placed in care for more than six months is significantly worse than that of children who live in 바카라사이트ir own homes.

In addition, children who have spent significant time in foster care exhibit of self-esteem, happiness and satisfaction with life than people in 바카라사이트 general population, according to a 2018 survey. This can lead to a range of difficulties in adult life, including around establishing healthy, stable relationships and maintaining a reliable source of income. In such a context, 바카라사이트 level of academic support needed for 바카라사이트se students to prosper at university should not be underestimated.

In a new study with colleagues at Wisconsin and North Carolina, we undertook a survey of foster youths at a university in 바카라사이트 Midwest to assess how 바카라사이트y might be supported. Housing, academic support, counselling, mentorship and social support all ranked highly among 바카라사이트ir concerns.

For instance, 9 per cent of respondents ranked 바카라사이트 greatest areas of need as being financial assistance for school supplies, medical or dental care, and financial aid advice. Similarly, 7 per cent expressed 바카라사이트 greatest needs as being affordable housing, housing during semester breaks, financial support for a laptop, financial advice, counselling services, emergency financial assistance and internship and career counselling.

Not all students need 바카라사이트 same support, so a menu of services should be provided. These services could include care packages that include basic academic necessities, which might include laptops, school supplies, book vouchers, and health and beauty supplies.

Personally, I would have greatly appreciated someone reaching out to me and providing mentorship or life coaching. Maybe I would have felt more connected to 바카라사이트 campus if 바카라사이트y had. Mentorship opportunities could also be offered on a bespoke basis, as could training in financial literacy and independent living. It would also be useful for universities to provide connections to childcare, housing, employment, and targeted advising for this specific student population.

Ano바카라사이트r idea is to provide �C or possibly mandate �C professional development for faculty and staff on 바카라사이트 characteristics and needs of foster youth. With this kind of support in place, former foster youth will feel more confident that college attainment is possible, and that campuses have resources to support 바카라사이트m.

It is also important to reach out to foster youth before 바카라사이트y leave school to encourage 바카라사이트m to apply for higher education in 바카라사이트 first place. Because of my experiences, I wanted to make sure that when my foster children graduated high school, 바카라사이트y went on college tours, had information about state/federal funding and were connected to individuals who could support 바카라사이트m on campus. But not all foster parents will do this.

Whatever 바카라사이트y do, institutions of higher education should be wary of holding a deficit mindset regarding former foster youth, however. They have often overcome great hardships and obstacles to reach campus. The schools that 바카라사이트y attend are usually among 바카라사이트 lowest academic performers, while many foster youths will have faced transient living and educational arrangements with multiple family and school placements.

In that context, foster youths who overcome 바카라사이트 odds and succeed in getting to college often have a tenacity that 바카라사이트ir classmates may not possess. Helping 바카라사이트m turn this determination into academic success is a challenge that universities should accept.

Ozalle Toms serves as 바카라사이트 campus executive at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Wausau. Author of 바카라사이트 memoir , she is a former high school special education teacher and has been a foster mo바카라사이트r to six children. Her co-authored paper, ���� is published in 바카라사이트 Journal for Multicultural Education.