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Research emphasizes the importance of hearing participants’ voices to gain deeper insights into their lived experiences. This approach is particularly crucial for marginalized groups, like youth in foster care, considering their diverse levels of impact from an ecological systems perspective. By actively listening to their stories and those of individuals closely involved, we gain a better understanding of their unique challenges in pursuing education and can identify the support they truly need. These insights can inform more compassionate, tailored policies and programs that empower foster youth and improve their educational outcomes. Accordingly, through a multistakeholder perspective of students in foster care, liaisons, and foster parents, this study explored the advice and recommendations stakeholders had to secure educational stability and positive educational experiences for students in foster care.
Methods
A total of 29 participants were involved in this study, including four students in foster care, 11 foster parents, and 14 liaisons who work to secure educational stability for students in Virginia’s foster care system. A semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant. Each interview lasted, on average, two hours. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a modified Rapid Analysis technique, following several steps: (1) they utilized an interview guide to develop a coding template, (2) they consolidated codes into domains, (3) they created summary sheets for each interview based on these domains, and (4) they transferred the data from the summary sheets to a spreadsheet for matrix analyses.
Results
Participants provided systemic and individual-level advice to secure educational stability and positive educational experiences for students in foster care. To align with the multiple aspects of participant’s advice and recommendation, to include prevention and intervention, results are organized using a 3-tiered public health framework as follows: 1) universal family and student support and foster care prevention; 2) targeted family and student support; and 3) individualized accommodations and supports for families and students. Tier 1 recommendations from participants highlight the urgent need for vital anti-poverty initiatives, increased social service resources, and comprehensive education reforms. Implementing robust anti-poverty measures and community development initiatives is essential to fortify both families and neighborhoods. The targeted supports (Tier 2) are designed for families and children identified as needing additional assistance by educators or social service agencies to prevent involvement with the formal foster care system. Tier 3 recommendations focus on individualized interventions for students and families involved with the foster care system. These strategies reinforce relationships between biological families, students, and foster parents; and aim to take an approach of “fostering families” and not just fostering children.
Conclusion
Collectively, the recommendations across these three tiers strive primarily to prevent foster care placements, support biological families and communities, and provide meaningful interventions for those who do enter the system. This approach aims to provide families with vital resources, community, and the extended family support necessary for nurturing themselves and their children. Ultimately, these three tiers are geared toward offering comprehensive support for families and students to thrive.