San Francisco Unified School District

Student Support Services Department

Foster Youth Foster Youth Services ProgramServices Program

FYS Liaison FYS Liaison

OrientationOrientation

Who are foster youth?Who are foster youth?

Foster youth are children who are removed from the care of their parents primarily because of abuse and neglect that resulted from complex family, social and environmental conditions.

Foster youth are overseen by county Child Welfare Services or the Juvenile Probation Department.

Through No Fault of their Through No Fault of their ownown

The majority of youth who enter the foster care system have been victims of abuse or neglect.

Types of Abuse: Physical Sexual Emotional Neglect (not providing for basic needs)

How many foster youth are How many foster youth are there?there?

In the United States……………In California……………………In San Francisco………………In SFUSD………………………

Over 500,000Over 80,000Almost 2000Between 700-800

(estimated)

How Long?How Long?

The average length of stay in the The average length of stay in the California foster care system is California foster care system is

21 months. 21 months.

Where do foster youth live?Where do foster youth live?

Kinship Care/Relative Placement Foster Family Homes (county) Foster Family Agency Homes Group Homes Residential Treatment Facilities

Educating Foster YouthEducating Foster Youth 35% of foster youth have experienced 4 or more

school changes 75% of foster youth are working below grade

level

46% do not complete high school

16.1% of former foster youth completed a vocational degree and 1.8% completed a bachelor’s degree.

Over 70% of youth in foster care report that they desire to go to college

Educating Foster YouthEducating Foster Youth

Children in foster care move frequently among emergency shelters, foster family, guardian homes (kinship/relative or non-relative) and group homes.

These changes often result in multiple school placements.

Because of these complexities in their lives, many foster youth perform below grade level, are held back in school, and have lower graduation rates than their peers.

Foster Youth Services ProgramFoster Youth Services Program In 1997, an advisory committee formed to

address the educational outcomes of foster youth in San Francisco.

Vision: effective collaboration among organizations to meet foster youth’s needs

Advisory Committee Members: SFUSD SF Family & Juvenile Court SF Human Services Agency Juvenile Probation

Department City College of SF

Honoring Emancipated Youth Independent Living Skills

Program Court Appointed Special

Advocates Legal Services for Children

How do we do that?How do we do that?

Juvenile Detention

Transitional Services

Educational Support ServicesIndividual Tutoring Services

TDM Consult

Case Management

Individual/group support &

advocacy by MSW interns

Post-Secondary Support Guardian Scholars Summer

Academy.

Educational Records

Facilitation of school

notification and transfer of

records

Professional Development

Training on foster youth educational

needs

Foster Youth Census

Identification of Foster youth

students within SFUSD

Steering CommitteeInteragency

communication and

policy formation

SFUSD/SHPDFoster Youth

Services Program

Enhancing Enhancing Support: Support: Foster Youth Foster Youth Services LiaisonsServices Liaisons

Foster Youth Services LiaisonFoster Youth Services Liaison

GOAL: Improve educational outcomes for foster youth students by providing on-site support and coordinated services. Policy Support Student Support/Outreach Foster Care Month Awareness Activity Administrative Duties

Supporting foster youth in your Supporting foster youth in your school:school: Policy SupportPolicy Support

Assembly Bill 490 (AB 490) (Steinberg; Stats. 2003, ch. 862)

As of January 1, 2004, AB 490 imposes new duties and rights related to the education of youth in foster care. Under this Act foster youth are ensured access to the same opportunities to meet academic achievement standards to which all students are held, maintain stable school placements, be placed in the least restrictive educational placement, and have access to the same academic resources, services and extracurricular and enrichment activities as all other children.

For more information:San Francisco County AB490 Interagency and Community Agreement

Supporting foster youth in your Supporting foster youth in your school: school: Student Support/OutreachStudent Support/Outreach

Facilitate “intake” and “exit” meetings with foster youth identified at your school site.

Assess student educational needs and interests. Coordinate and collaborate with care providers, social

workers, service providers, school counselors. Help connect youth to resources, services and opportunities. Involve students and care providers in school and

community activities. Discuss the student and any needs at Student Assistance

Program (SAP) meetings. Support school site representation at Team Decision Making

Meetings. Set high expectations and continue to encourage, motivate

and inspire.

Supporting foster youth in your Supporting foster youth in your school: school: Foster Care Month Awareness Foster Care Month Awareness EventEvent

Coordinate two school-wide Awareness events:

May is National Foster Care Month

&

Our Community, Our Youth

Foster/Adopt SF Foster Youth

Recruitment Campaign

Supporting foster youth in your Supporting foster youth in your school: school: Administrative DutiesAdministrative Duties

Complete and submit FYS student intake forms by November 6, 2009.

Complete and submit FYS student exit forms by May 28, 2010.

Submit Foster Care Month activity log by May 28, 2010. Distribute the FYS Census to site administrator and SAP

team members. Make a brief presentation to school site staff each

semester at a faculty meeting regarding Foster Youth Services Support Liaison role and responsibilities.

Provide students, caregivers, and school site staff with FYS materials and appropriate school based and community resources.

Attend FYSL mid-year meeting on February 4, 2010.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

??

Thank you for your support!

For more information on ways you can support

foster youth check out your handouts

or

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