SCO Family of Services’ Post

Students in New York's foster system experience some of the worst educational outcomes of any student group. That's because state agencies and schools often fail to provide the specific support these students need to thrive. A new report from Chantal Hinds features insights from youth and parents with lived experience in New York's foster system to highlight the unique challenges faced by foster youth and explain how schools and state agencies can collaborate to help them succeed. Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3UCc9g5

This report has great insights from individuals with lived experience about how education & child welfare agencies, schools, and policymakers can provide support to students in the foster system to improve education outcomes & experiences- check it out!

I will let the article do its work! Please read. #communitycollege

#LaneCollege OH, YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DONE?! NAWWW! LANE COLLEGE and the surrounding JACKSON, TENNESSEE COMMUNITY. A MIDM SCHOLAR with little to no support to help MOVE-IN and we need YOUR help - FRIDAY - AUGUST 24, 2024 !! MOVE-IN Day season is well underway and our SCHOLAR needs help. MIDM assists HBCU fosters scholars aging out of the foster care system, unhoused scholars, and scholars experiencing severe financial hardship. We ain't just moving boxes, we're moving MOUNTAINS of instability and uncertainty! We're setting up FUTURES! You IN? Fill out that VOLUNTEER form (check the comments for the link), and that gets you all the details you'll need to BE OF SERVICE to a deserving SCHOLAR. Confirm you're coming - for real, for real!! Check for your "Welcome Email" and READ THOROUGHLY for your next steps. These scholars are counting on US and YOU to put some serious #MiraclesInMotion. Are you IN to make this happen? VOLUNTEER Form link in the comments Check for your "WELCOME" email REPLY to your "Welcome" email by confirming you are SHOWING UP TAG ALUMNI and FRIENDS BELOW. SEE Y’ALL IN THE DORM ROOM. #MoveInDayMafia is a "mob" of #volunteers who descend upon #HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) to make #MiraclesInMotions by providing #dormroom #makeovers, monthly care packages, and ongoing support for 4 years primarily to #students who have aged out of #fostercare, are #unhoused, or grapple with #financial hardships.

Today’s schools serve students and families with a diversity of identities. While diversity enriches the school community, educators are becoming increasingly aware of the vast number of students subjected to identity-related adverse childhood experiences and inequitable practices. To mitigate the negative impacts of oppression on marginalized identities, Identity Safe Spaces at home and school shows educators how they can work together with parents and guardians to support all students’ well-being and success. Teachers, school leaders, counselors, social workers, and others can use this guide to foster strengths-based and culturally responsive home-school partnerships in all that they do. https://lnkd.in/e4bJJNqc

Did you know students in foster care experience 2 times as many absences, out-of-school suspensions, and grade retentions compared to their peers? Beyond empathy, these students need care and stability, and schools can play an important role. "Get Smart Fast" about eliminating barriers for students in foster care to support academic achievement. Learn what the evidence says, what conditions of success look like, and get inspired by innovative models happening in California and Washington. https://lnkd.in/ewj3DrsJ #fostercare #educationforall

What types of challenges do foster youth face during college? Kizzy Lopez, a former foster youth campus support program coordinator, talks about how many common college experiences assume that students have family support and aid. Family privilege can take the form of financial support, housing, access to opportunities, social connections and relationships, and access to resources that can make life easier for youth. Issues like not being able to get a parent’s signature if you live in the dorms, lacking housing during school breaks, and experiencing isolation during celebratory moments like holidays and graduations are examples of common barriers foster youth encounter, affecting their overall college experience and sense of belonging. Hear more in Episode 6 of ‘Among Us’ with foster care experts Kizzy Lopez and Nathanael Okpych: https://lnkd.in/gfFZRDmt. Learn more about foster youth campus support programs in our 2023 report, “Foster(ing) Youth in the California State University: Understanding the Vital Role of Campus Support Programs” at: https://lnkd.in/g7g-henr. Fresno City College UCLA School of Education and Information Studies UCLA Pritzker Center Audra Langley Geneva Sum Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Stuart Foundation #fosteryouth #fostercare #fostersupport #fostercareawareness #YouthPolicy #FosterCareAdvocacy #AmongUsPodcast #newpodcast #Podcasting #FosterCareSystem #ThisIsFosterCare #FosterCareSupport #FosterCareJourney #fostercarecommunity #formerfosteryouth #fosteryouthsupport #fosteryouthvoices #highered #highereducation #fosterstudent #GuardianScholars #RenaissanceScholars

Creativity can be a valuable tool in fostering independence during a child’s early developmental stages. At Kiddie Academy we strongly encourage children to let their imagination run free through child-led, educator-facilitated experiences that foster independent thinking.   Click the link below to read more about how parents and caregivers can use the creative process to develop independence with their child at home. https://lnkd.in/eXJevh_A 

It’s College Major Monday, so let’s talk about Disability Studies! 🙋 Disability Studies equips students to help those with disabilities. They learn how to create and advocate for policies in government, corporations, and nonprofit organizations with the goal of increasing inclusivity and creating a greater sense of community. Birkman areas of interest ➡️ Individuals who have a lot of Birkman GREEN (people, communication, relationships) with high motivation in Social Service will thrive in this career. What school has a good program? ➡️ Not many schools offer this degree. The University of Toledo was the first in the nation, and UCLA is the most recent school to offer the program. What are some potential careers? ➡️ Social work, HR, advocacy, camp or recreation director, policy creation, teacher. If you know a teen who might be interested in pursuing this major, send this post to them!

"As a parent of a son who lives with intellectual disabilities and social challenges, I never dreamed I would celebrate such a ceremony with my son Alek. December 9th was nothing short of a miracle that you, the SRU community, helped to create." Check out this wonderfully written article from a parent of Alex, an alumni of Slippery Rock University, which highlights the incredible value of inclusive postsecondary education programs and staff! #ThinkHigher #ThinkCollege #SlipperyRockU