5 Hidden Student Populations: Foster Care Alumni

The section concerning Foster Care Alumni and how their experiences can affect their academic successes taught me about their specific struggles and how practitioners can strive to assist them and their particular needs within higher education. Throughout the course we studied the lived experience of Alton Carter. The Boy who Carried Bricks and Aging Out narrate his journey through foster care and the difficulties he endured after he aged out of the system. While Carter’s experience is motivational and informative, his success story is significant because many former foster youth do not make it to college, and many who do make it to college do not graduate.

A Trauma-Informed Campus and its Benefits for Foster Care Alumni Students

            College comes with novel responsibilities that many students may not have had to think about before they enrolled. Many are lucky enough to have the help and support of their parents, families, and friends, but many of them are not so fortunate. Foster care alumni face more barriers in higher education. They are statistically more likely to drop out and not complete their degree programs (Morton et al., 2018). Many colleges have established resources and support networks to aid them in getting to college, but what are these programs doing for these students to ensure that they stay enrolled? There is a need for more research about these programs and how well they are assisting the needs of former foster care youth within higher education. Retention of former foster students should be a top priority for these institutions. With the aid of enrollment assistance, scholarship opportunities, outside support networks, and student engagement programs, colleges can better support these students and their academic experiences. Also, understanding trauma and its effects on former foster youth, the stigma this population faces, as well as their unique experiences within higher education will ultimately lead to a more trauma-informed campus that can better serve these students and their specific needs.

Trauma

Many foster care children may experience constant moving from placement to placement. They endure adversity and painful experiences throughout the early stages of their lives which can greatly affect the developmental processes of the brain and the emotional health of young minds. Morton (2017) notes that this constant change and uncertainty can lead to anxiety. Unresolved trauma from childhood can also contribute to prolonged stress and mental health disorders for this population, and these problems can follow them into adulthood. These students often find it difficult to manage their mental struggles along with schoolwork and deadlines, causing many of them to drop out of their programs. They also often experience a lack of motivation due to depression, which may encourage them to skip class and lead them to fall behind in their courses. Bessel Van der Kolk (2014) describes trauma as a mental form of paralysis. He notes that it has the power to freeze someone in place, preventing them from moving past their trauma, causing them to live it out repeatedly until they can address it and resolve it. When former foster youth struggle to resolve their traumas, it can greatly affect their overall performance in higher education. Those who age out are more at risk of developing issues with substance abuse, mental health, or of being incarcerated (Tobolowsky et al., 2017).

Alton Carter (2016) reflects on his personal experiences with aging out of the foster care system in his memoir Aging Out. He, like many others, experienced anxiety and depression throughout his early life. He suffered from physical and emotional abuse at the hands of some of his family members and he ached for a place to belong. When his 18th birthday grew closer, he found himself struggling with more anxiety and depression, unsure of what would happen when his age out date arrived. His journey from foster care youth to college was not easy. He found that he did not know how to navigate through college life, and he ended up dropping out. He would struggle with food insecurity, homelessness, unemployment, and unresolved trauma for years before getting back on his feet again. Even after he got a job and found his way back to the classroom, he would still endure the adverse effects of unresolved trauma and the internalized self-hatred that he had harbored for most of his life. After seeking help from a therapist, Alton finally began to understand his experiences on a deeper level, and he was able to move past that pain and begin to heal himself from within.

Salazar et al. (2016) notes that approximately 25,000 foster care children will age out of the system annually. Only about one third of them will enroll in higher education, and an even smaller portion will graduate. This is a direct result of only half of foster care students graduating from high school, even with programs in place to help them succeed (Morton, 2018). After high school, the needs of these students do not age out with them.

According to Kearney et al. (2019), higher education institutions often assume that undergraduates arrive at college with strong familial support systems intact. For those who do have the aid of their families and relatives, they tend to have a better grasp on the admissions process and financial aid process than those who may not have a support network on their side. One of the major hindrances that this group faces within higher education is a lack of preparation for academia. Many do not know how to fill out college applications or FAFSA forms. Extended foster care programs promote enrollment and a better understanding of the admissions process. When these students have help with the initial steps of entering higher education, they may have a better chance of achieving long-term success. Along with issues regarding enrollment, former foster youths may not be aware of scholarship opportunities that are available to them. Programs like extended foster care through the Annie E. Casey Foundation assist former foster care students with navigating financial aid applications as well as scholarships that they qualify for.

Stigma

There is a stigma surrounding foster care and those who lived in foster care in their past. This stigma often hinders students from reaching out for help when they need it. Many of these students wish to leave their negative experiences behind them when they enter college. They do not want others to use their pasts against them or to judge them for things that they may have had to endure within their early lives. Salazar et al. (2016) presents the concern of stigma and how it can often prevent former foster care students from disclosing their past, ultimately limiting them from accessing resources that aim to serve their specific needs within higher education. Carter (2016) notes that he felt it necessary to hide his truth from those around him for years. He worried that they would judge him if they knew about his personal life. Many former foster students try and handle everything without asking for help and this often leads to them falling behind or not being able to manage the stress that comes with newfound independence and a class schedule.

Support Policies

There have been some federal policies that have been put into effect to assist former foster youth in their transitions from care to independent life. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 required all states to extend foster care support through the end of September 2021 and to allow those who exited out of care during the pandemic to return if needed (Annie E. Casey Foundation). While this program is helpful, especially during a time of great uncertainty, it does not appear to be a sustainable resource and like many of the federal policies that were passed during the pandemic, it was a temporary fix. Some states already had extended foster care programs in effect. These programs assist former foster youth with applying to college, getting access to tutors, getting financial aid support, job opportunities, access to healthcare, housing assistance, financial literacy training, and many other things (Annie E. Casey Foundation). Extended foster care programs are so important because they prevent those who age out of care from being at risk of housing insecurity, homelessness, decreased academic success, unemployment, physical and mental health problems, loss of access to healthcare, and involvement in the criminal justice system.

Support Networks

Students perform better and are more successful in their academics when they are socially engaged. When students establish connections on campus with clubs, organizations, and their peers, they are more likely to stay enrolled and to finish their degree programs. This is especially true for students who were once in foster care. One of the main issues with this is that stigma tends to prevent these students from engaging in social networks or participating in on-campus involvement. Geiger et al. (2018) notes that student engagement is often impacted by unresolved trauma and mental health issues. These issues can often prevent students from forming connections with classmates or support staff, leading to a more isolated atmosphere. Encouraging these students to stay on campus and to get to know their support staff well may allow them to feel more comfortable asking for help rather than trying to take everything on by themselves (Salazar et al., 2016). Many college campuses already require freshmen to live on campus, but if they do not have a support network, they may not feel welcome or included.

Many students arrive at school with a support network within their own families or even their hometowns. Many former foster youth students are not as fortunate. Kearney et al. (2019) notes how the concept of family is much more complex than biology and bloodlines. Students often redefine family to fit their personal lives and experiences. Family may be composed of friends or mentors or those who were simply there for them when no one else was. Colleges tend to assume that their students will have the luxury of familial aid and support once they begin their coursework. Students who lack familial support often struggle with their finances and many will also have difficulty maintaining safe and stable housing (Geiger et al., 2018). Some potential program ideas to assist this population could be offering year-round housing, campus-based employment opportunities, affordable childcare, academic advising, tutoring, and remedial courses (Schelbe et al., 2019). While many live on campus during the school semesters, they may not have a place to go during holidays and breaks. Offering year-round housing would allow these students to have a place to stay when the campus closes. Campus-based employment opportunities would allow them to have a job that would potentially work with them around their class schedules, eliminating the stress of maintaining a job outside of school.

Mental Health Services

We have established that many of the issues former foster youths experience during college are exacerbated due to unresolved trauma and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Those who can access mental health services are able to better manage their stress and emotions and are more likely to succeed in school. Many colleges and universities offer free counseling to their students, but those who do not have access to free services through their institutions may not be able to afford off-campus counseling services. Salazar and Schelbe (2021) state that those who obtain a college education will earn more annually than those who do not have college degrees, and they will be more likely to engage with their communities, more likely to vote, and more likely to volunteer. A college education positively impacts the graduate as well as society. When we have more people entering the workforce, the unemployment rate will drop. They also claim that obtaining a degree can promote one’s happiness and health, leading to a decrease in the need for healthcare as well as medical costs.

Higher education institutions need to implement more resources to assist former foster youths during their academic careers. Programs that provide counseling services, housing options, social engagement opportunities, on-campus employment, and specialized support services can allow foster care alumni students to be better equipped with the tools they need to navigate through early adulthood and their newly found independence. Additionally, the implementation of a trauma-informed approach through staff and faculty training can greatly improve on-campus morale, better serving students and their needs by creating a more welcoming and destigmatized environment, allowing more students to feel comfortable reaching out for help when necessary.

Reflection

I have learned a great deal about former foster youth and their personal college experience throughout this semester. The readings reminded me of the R is for Thursday personal narratives that we watched last fall in our Introduction course. Alton Carter’s memoirs from this semester allowed me to better understand how the system intends to help children but does not always have the manpower or the funding to do so. Throughout the readings for this class, I have noticed that many of the articles bring light to the lack of research regarding support programs and how well they aid former foster care youth in their academic careers. There is also a need for data concerning how well existing programs assist this population within higher education. I have had to acknowledge that I had internalized some stereotypical thoughts and ideas surrounding this population, and I had to realize that I did not know much about former foster youths until taking HESA 5333 last fall.

This course has allowed me to better understand them and some of the potential struggles that former foster students face within higher education. I have come to realize that the additional barriers that they face can easily hinder them from succeeding within academia, contributing to higher attrition rates and lower completion rates. This has inspired me to research further about foster care alumni and how we can better serve this group within higher education by practicing a trauma-informed approach when we work with students within our departments on campus. I have developed an interest in student retention, and I would like to continue researching how higher education and student affairs practitioners can better serve hidden student populations through the practice of a trauma-informed approach.

References

Annie E. Casey Foundation. (n.d.). A Framework for Effectively Partnering with Young People. assets.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-aframeworkforeffectively-2019.pdf

Carter, Alton. (2016). Aging Out. The Road Runner Press.

Geiger, J.M., Piel, M.H., Day, A., and Schelbe, L. (2018). A descriptive analysis of programs serving foster care alumni in higher education: Challenges and opportunities. Children and Youth Services Review, 85, p. 287-294.

Kearney, K.S., Naifeh, Z., Hammer, T., and Cain, A. (2019). “Family” ties for foster alumni in college: An open systems consideration. The Review of Higher Education, 42(2), p. 793-824.

Morton, B.M. (2017). The grip of trauma: How trauma disrupts the academic aspirations of foster youth. Child Abuse and Neglect, 75, p. 73-81.

Salazar, A.M., Jones, K.R., Emerson, J.C., and Mucha, L. (2016). Postsecondary strengths, challengers, and supports experienced by foster care alumni college graduates. Journal of College Student Development, 57(3), p.263-279.

Salazar, A.M. and Schelbe, L. (2021). Factors associated with post-college success for foster care alumni college graduates. Children and Youth Services Review, 126, p. 1-11.

Schelbe, L., Day, A., Geiger, J.M., and Piel, M.H. (2019). The state of evaluations of campus-based support programs serving foster care alumni in higher education. Child Welfare, 97(2), p. 23-40.

Tobolowsky, B.F., Madden, E.E., and Scannapieco, M. (2017). Living on the edge: The postsecondary journeys of foster care alumni. College Student Affairs Journal, 35(1), p. 86-100.

Van Der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Viking Press.

ACPA and NASPA (2015) Competency Statement:

While all of the competencies seem relevant when discussing foster care alumni, the one that I feel is most important is law, policy, and governance. Practitioners who work with former foster youth should be knowledgeable about certain policies that affect this population as well as available resources that aim to assist them throughout their academic careers. Partnering with local high schools could also promote awareness of specific resources for former foster care youth as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. The transition or the “aging out” can often be stressful and traumatic, especially if a student does not have a solid support network.