Promoting school connections for youth in child welfare Ensuring Educational Stability, Continuity, & Success of Children in Foster Care A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

Today’s Presentation What is Trauma What impacts trauma and how we cope? Grieving Process Attachment Diagnoses and behaviors What To Do DCF and the Family Centered Practice Model

ACTIVITY What is your favorite food? What is your favorite room in your house? Who is your favorite person? What is your favorite article of clothing? What is your favorite object or material possession?

What is Traumatic Stress? Overwhelming experience Results in vulnerability and loss of control Interferes with relationships Trauma impacts ability to regulate their emotions. Children exposed to repeated trauma spend energy on survival instead of developmental mastery. Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books.

VERMONT’S GOAL: To improve educational stability and academic outcomes for youth in foster care. Reduce trauma through stability.

The importance of Educational Stability Vermont youth in foster care are likely to experience 3-7 school placement changes. Higher #’s for older youth. (Data collection incomplete.) Every time a student changes schools they lose approximately 4-6 months of educational progress. High school students who changed schools even once were less than half as likely to graduate /2

Foster Care Alumni Studies: Education Outcomes 70% of former foster youth express a desire to attend college Students in foster care General student population ^ Casey Northwest Alumni Study Workshop P_Education Advocacy.ppt

EDUCATIONAL STABILITY FOR YOUTH IN CARE Educational Best Interest Determination form assists child’s team with making the important decision about where the child should attend school (depending on where they live) and what their needs and strengths are. The MOU between DCF and AOE allows for a child to remain stable even when they do not reside in the same town as their home school.

Initial Vermont Ed Stability Data

School Challenges for Youth in Foster Care Frequent changes in home and school placements. Lack of collaboration and coordination among partners. Trauma – its impact on relationship skills and learning.

ATTACHMENT Attachment cycle Child signals need Adult meets need Child is comforted Positive interactions Child signals another need

GRIEF AND LOSS Grieving the loss of a loved one is a life long process. There are several stages to the cycle and grieving individuals do not follow the pathway in any certain direction. Certain events, known as triggers my put an individual into a stage of grief that may be unexpected, even to the person.

TRAUMA – EPISODIC AND CHRONIC Indicators for Trauma Inability to self-regulate Short attention span Sleep issues Unable to expresses feelings constructively Difficulty with peer relationships Inability to manage emotions appropriately and in context

COMMON DIAGNOSES Learning disabilities Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Oppositional Defiant Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Autism spectrum (high functioning) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reactive Attachment Disorder Grieving

BEHAVIORS MOST COMMONLY SEEN CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS Upset upon arrival at new location, crying, angry, noncompliant Impulsive behaviors Cutting in line Pushing, shoving peers Inappropriate Language Property destruction Disturbing/disrupting the classroom Not making academic progress due to behaviors Difficulty with transitions Eat and sleep issues Difficult peer relationships Class clown at times Totally withdrawn at times

WHAT TO DO MANAGING BEHAVIORS Preventative measures are critical! Greet the child when they enter the room. Ask how their night and morning went. Identify a person in the (school) as the child’s “go to” person. Often this is the nurse or guidance counselor. Offer this person to the student whenever it seems appropriate. Scheduled time with the identified person as frequently as needed but at least once per week. Once/day is better.

WHAT TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM PLANNING REDUCES DISRUPTION Test taking is often stressful. Plan for this. Transitions are often unsettling. Plan for this. Unstructured activities i.e. recess, art class, gym are challenging. Plan for this.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT WHY DO WE SEE BEHAVIORS BRAIN DIAGRAM FEATURING BUILDING BLOCKS Bruce Perry

Trauma and Resiliency To heal, youth must feel safe in their bodies. Stable connections, familiar environment, and predictability are key. If coping skills are more developed, a child is much more resilient.

What can advocates do? Listen to the youth. Collaborate with each other. Help build a support network for the youth. Plan and set goals with the youth. Recognize when a youth is struggling. Know your role and refer youth to other supports when appropriate. Be a consistent presence in the youth’s life.

Self Advocacy Teach the youth to be his or her best support for what is important for a successful education experience. Help youth identify their strengths and challenges. Recommended that self-advocacy training begins in 7 th or 8 th grade.

KEEP LOCAL KIDS LOCAL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION Well respected and supported Caregivers are the best advocates for children and youth in care and make wonderful recruiters. School personnel often know their communities well. You know who the healthy families are and you know who the families are in need of support. You know who the children’s friends are. Help DCF make these connections for the children who are in need.

Joan Rock Resource Coordinator, Morrisville District and VT-FUTRES Project UVM Dept. of Social Work