Battered, hurt and insecure – these three words sum up most of foster care children. For most of their younger lives, they have stepped out of their comfort zone. Now, what are they willing to do to get back inside it?
Many foster care children have faced real life at a very early age. Instead of enjoying their childhood years like other children, they have been tossed around from one foster family to another. They have experienced what it’s like to live on their own, and already know what it feels like to be alone. Recognizing these factors helps to understand the challenges these children face in becoming successful adults.
How are they doing in school?
According to research, half of the foster children population tends to drop out of school. While some 25% of these children are homeless after they were emancipated and the others have become public welfare recipients. It is also reported that they have twice as many grade repeats and school transitions compared to non-foster children and youth.
When it comes to their scholastic performance, they are observed to be rather slow learners compared to their peers. As cited by a study in 2004, youths in the foster care system who passed 10th or 11th grades were reading at the pace of a seventh-grade student. They also have lower standardized test results coupled with higher rates of disciplinary actions and suspensions. Their higher education matriculation rates are low, which makes them vulnerable in this technology-driven and competitive world.
What is the government doing to solve this?
On October 7, 2008, the federal government passed the law on Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, which requires all states to have foster care children remain in their “school of origin” to ensure educational stability. Unless it is deemed necessary and lest it is for the best interest of the child to be relocated to a new district, the child must not be transferred to another educational institution.
Why education matters?
The sting of abuse, neglect and other negative feelings can be lessened if there is a positive change in the lives of these foster children. To prepare them for a brighter future, it is best if they are given proper education and helpful adult supervision
The active efforts of child welfare agencies, education agencies and the courts should hopefully change the disheartening educational scenarios for foster care children. They should also be supported by proactive federal and local policies to create more positive educational experiences.
Sources:
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/06/foster-care-children-need-better-educational-opportunities
http://www.cacollegepathways.org/sites/default/files/datasheet_jan_2014_update.pdf
http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=foster-care
http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/edservices/stability/
http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/36/4/fostercare.aspx
http://www.practicenotes.org/vol11_no4/edneeds.htm
http://cs.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/1/59.short
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