Kids in Care: Take Special Care as the School Year Begins

Written by FrameWorks Program Director, Rachel Kinder

Originally posted in Charleston Gazette. To view that article, click here.

As children across the state return to school, children and teens in foster care are likely to have heightened emotions as they prepare to begin their school year.  In addition to the general excitement and anxiety that most children face, those in foster care often have extra emotions to process.  For children who entered foster care over the summer, they may be starting at a new school this fall. This means adjusting to a school with new teachers and peers, new routines and rules.  For many children who experience abuse and neglect school is often their safe space, a place where they can have their needs met and feel protected.  For these children a school change can be especially traumatic.  (Although efforts can be made to keep children in their school of origin, the scarcity of foster families often prevents this from being practical).  We’d like to share some ideas for helping the new school year to run smoothly for those children in the foster care system. 

For foster families:

Foster parents can help encourage a child to be excited for their first day by allowing them to pick out their own school supplies and first day of school outfit.  Anxiety may be alleviated by attending an open house or even driving by the school and discussing how the daily school routine will go.  Children are likely to have mixed feelings to be excited for a day that their parents will miss.  Foster parents can make this day easier by following the child’s lead, joining in if they’re excited or validating their feelings if they are nervous or anxious.  Take a first day of school picture and, if you have permission, arrange to share it with the child’s parents or biological family.  This will help the family feel included and reassure the child that everyone is “on their team.”  For children with permission to phone their parents, a phone call the night before or after the first of school may be reassuring. The same can be done with siblings living in different homes as well. 

Establishing an open line of communication with the child’s teacher will be vital, as the children may need some extra support to navigate new challenges.  Although a teacher won’t need to know confidential information about the child or their family’s case, an advance head’s up about issues that may affect school performance will help the teacher understand how to best help the child.

A child is also likely to perform better in school (both in terms of academics and behaviors) if they feel a sense of belonging or connection with the school.  Extracurricular activities are a great way for a child to make friends and feel included.  Even small items like a school mascot t-shirt or backpack in school colors can help a child have a sense of belonging with their peers. 

For education professionals: 

In a state with a high population of children in foster care or relative care, teachers and educational professionals do a great job of adjusting their terminology to acknowledge that not every child lives with their parents.  An example might be asking the children to have a form signed by “their grown-up” instead of saying mom or dad.  Teachers can also prevent making kids uncomfortable by avoiding assignments involving family trees, genetics or baby photos which children may not have the information necessary to complete.  There are great suggestions online for ideas to update or replace traditional projects like the “family tree” assignment, including genograms, trees that contain both roots AND branches or family forests that can include a tree for everyone important in a child’s life.

For community members: 

Many communities hold school supply drives and giveaways prior to the start of the school year.  While foster parents receive monthly stipends towards expenses, relatives caring for children often have less assistance and tighter budgets.  Donated supplies can be especially helpful for a relative who receives placement of a child at the beginning of the school year. 

Other ways to help may include volunteering at a school in your community.  Every county has different volunteer needs and requirements so check with your local county school system.  You could also consider offering homework help or tutoring if you know a foster family in need of support.  Most students continue to experience learning delays as a result of the pandemic; foster children are even more at risk due to educational loss due to school moves. 

Sadly, referrals to the child abuse hotline can often increase during this time of year when children return to school.  School personnel and mandated reporters may be the first to see the children since the beginning of the summer and may be the first to note signs of abuse or neglect that warrant reporting.  If these referrals lead to an increase in removals, then the need for foster parents may be greater in the next few months.  Many foster care agencies will start their fall trainings soon, families considering fostering might consider fall a good time to begin the process. 

For information on foster care or adoption, visit www.missionwv.org/request-information, email fosteradopt@missionwv.org or call 304-512-0555.