Fostering success: young people’s experience of education while in foster care

Miller, Hannah Elsas; Bourke, Roseanna; Dharan, Vijaya

doi:10.1080/13603116.2020.1867378

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Research has also shown the benefits of positive relationships (or linked lives) with others for care experienced young people's educational and life transitions. This includes factors such as having a secure and stable home environment (Miller et al, 2021) and a strong social network of support with key adults (Brady & Gilligan, 2019b). This support can be emotional, practical or financial (Driscoll, 2013;Ellis & Johnston, 2022) whilst creating a sense of belonging in a foster placement is also beneficial (Skilbred et al, 2017).…”

Section: Care Experienced Young People and Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving a Pupil Referral Unit in Wales: Care Experienced Young People and their Post-16 Transitions

Smith

2023

International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions

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Care experienced young people are more likely to leave compulsory schooling with fewer qualifications than their non-care experienced peers. They continue to be over-represented in school exclusion figures and are more likely to attend alternative provision such as pupil referral units (PRUs). Transitions at 16 can be difficult, particularly when support systems are lost. As such, these young people are at greater risk of homelessness, criminality and suicide, on leaving compulsory education. The risks associated with these transitions are heightened even more for those leaving alternative provision. Exploring what factors can support the transitions of PRU learners into post-16 destinations is an important line of enquiry. This article discusses qualitative findings from the first year of a three-year mixed methods study involving research with 14 PRU learners. It explores young people's reflections on their educational journeys so far and their expectations for life after the PRU. The findings highlight how experiences of school exclusion can impact negatively on future trajectories. Despite this, the participants were still able to foresee and describe ambitious plans, supported in part by caring PRU professionals and positive role models in their lives. The article concludes by considering the factors that may facilitate or create barriers to sustainable transitions for this cohort of young people, as they begin to leave the PRUs.

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Section: Care Experienced Young People and Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving a Pupil Referral Unit in Wales: Care Experienced Young People and their Post-16 Transitions

Smith

2023

International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions

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“…Government and non-government partnerships involving a range of multiagency and interprofessional development approaches have long been seen as critical to holistic support (Cooper et al 2023;McLaren et al 2008;Zannettino and McLaren 2014). This is backed by contemporary child protection discourse that increasingly advocates for holistic, comprehensive approaches targeted at child rights and their developmental needs (Ellis et al 2022;Miller et al 2023;Purtell and Mendes 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconsidering Recognition in the Lives of Children and Young People in Care: Insights from the Mockingbird Family in South Australia

Patmisari,

McLaren,

Jones

2024

Social Sciences

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This study explored the experiences of children and young people in the Mockingbird Family, South Australia, during implementation and roll-out. The study involved semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 54 participants, including 21 children and young people, 12 foster carers, and 14 agency workers. Thematic analysis, with the application of Axel Honneth’s recognition theory, showed the Mockingbird Family model to validate the emotional, cognitive, and social support needs of children and young people. Through interconnected experience, the nurturing of care and the promotion of rights-based, holistic approaches were crucial for achieving social recognition, dignity, and developmental growth. The study indicates the potential benefits of the Mockingbird Family model for addressing the needs of children and young people in care. The research suggests that a community-based support model such as the Mockingbird Family should be considered in child welfare practices. However, further research is necessary to fully understand the model’s long-term effects and justify its integration into wider child welfare policies.

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Health and school difficulties of children in foster care in the experience of their foster parents

Faltová,

Mojžíšová,

Holá

et al. 2024

Med. perspekt.

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The period of compulsory school attendance is a mentally very challenging period for children in foster care, which can be impacted by complex developmental trauma stemming from the child's experience in foster care with cumulative and chronic traumatic events in his/her biological family. These events have taken place over a long period of time in interpersonal relationships usually related to caregivers, in the form of abandonment of the child by the caregiver, changing caregivers, lack of safe space and necessary support for the child from the family and school, and/or deficiencies in the provision of coordinated health and social care for both the child and the foster parents. The paper presents research findings supported by a statistical analysis of health and school difficulties in children in foster care related to their school attendance. The purpose of the research was to support the quality and coordination of services of non-profit organizations providing social, health and educational services to foster families and their children during school attendance to support the school success and well-being of children. The study was implemented as part of a dissertation at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in the Czech Republic on the topic of promotion of the health, social and psychological well-being of school-aged children in the context of their school and family environment. The authors carried out a questionnaire survey in the Czech Republic among a selected sample of respondents, who were foster parents of children aged 6 to 15 attending primary school in the Pardubice Region. In a total sample of 102 respondents, we identified two different groups. One group – 64 respondents with healthy children and another group – 38 respondents with children with health difficulties. The aim of the research was to compare the assessments of the intensity of school difficulties of children in foster care in groups of respondents with or without a child with health difficulties or mental illness in their foster care. The hypothesis of a difference in assessments of school difficulties in children with/without health difficulties was formulated and statistically tested (H0: ratings of the intensity of difficulties are the same in both groups). Statistical testing of the hypothesis utilised the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test with the test results being significant at the level of significance p<0.05. Correlation was observed for each difficulty and exploratory cluster analysis shows their interrelationships. The study results according to the foster parents' assessment show a high intensity of difficulties of school-aged children in foster care in their inclusion in the classroom in establishing relationships with classmates (p-value =0.9), in a negative attitude towards learning and lack of motivation to learn (p-value =0.7) experiencing nervousness, internal tension and staying focused when learning. In addition, when comparing the groups of respondents with healthy children and children who have health difficulties/mental illness, there was a statistically significantly higher intensity of difficulties in the group of respondents with children with health difficulties when doing prep work for the classes (p-value =0.00075).

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Fostering success: young people’s experience of education while in foster care

Cited by 4 publications

References 27 publications

Leaving a Pupil Referral Unit in Wales: Care Experienced Young People and their Post-16 Transitions

Leaving a Pupil Referral Unit in Wales: Care Experienced Young People and their Post-16 Transitions

Reconsidering Recognition in the Lives of Children and Young People in Care: Insights from the Mockingbird Family in South Australia

Health and school difficulties of children in foster care in the experience of their foster parents

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