The majority of my research into the foster children came in the form of statistics about the effects of being a foster child on their future lives, as getting more personal information on what foster families are like day to day would take interviews that have not yet occurred. The statistics on the damage of foster life on children comparative to children who live with their parents is astonishing to say the least. Up to 60% of children in foster care experience some type of developmental delay, including language delays (57%), cognitive problems (33%), gross motor difficulties (31%), and growth problems (10%). Along with this, the often traumatic experiences before entering foster care leads to attachment and interpersonal issues as well as trust issues in many children. This leads to issues in foster families. Emotional detachment and the trust nobody but yourself mentality in children in the foster children leads to high turnover rates in foster families, which in turn cause more lack of trust in the foster children, perpetuating this cycle. These and other issues translate into the school setting, making it one of the hardest places for children. The constant stress of changing families among other things leads to huge issues in the school setting including "high rates of grade retention; scoring 16 percent to 20 percent lower on standardized tests; and higher absenteeism, tardiness, truancy and dropout rates" when compared to the general population.” in fact, "foster children are twice as likely as the rest of the population to drop out before graduation, and only 50% graduate by age 18." Part of this is because each time a student moves school, the lose half a year of academic progress, so when a student changes schools five times, they end up far behind their peers. along with issues in the academic setting, foster student often have issues in the social settings, as they feel stigmatized by their peers and find themselves socially isolated. With so many issues in their early life it is no wonder that their issues transfer into adulthood. “A large body of research suggests that children in foster care are among the most at risk for poor life outcomes in American society. Adults who were formerly in foster care are more likely than the general population to be homeless, unprepared for employment and limited to low-skill jobs, and dependent on welfare or Medicaid. They are also more likely to be convicted of crimes and incarcerated, to succumb to drug and alcohol abuse, or to have poor physical or mental health. Women who have been in foster care experience higher rates of early pregnancy and may be more likely to see their own children placed in foster care.” These fact paint a harsh light onto the foster system, but if it is truly the harsh reality is yet to be seen. To create these types of facts, things must be generalized, and because of that this is an incomplete picture. These are the first hard brush strokes of the portrait that is this topic, but to add the color and detail to the painting, to add the good to the bad, the stories of individuals are still required, and I look forward to seeing where they take this.
Lahey, Jessica. "Every Time Foster Kids Move, They Lose Months of Academic Progress." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/02/every-time-foster-kids-move-they-lose-months-of-academic-progress/284134/#disqus_thread>.
Kools, Susan, and Christine Kennedy. "Medscape Log In." Medscape Log In. Medscape, 2003. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/449673_4>.
"National Association of Social Workers." National Association of Social Workers. NASW, Sept. 2004. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/news/2004/09/perceptions.asp?back=yes>.
Hill, Amelia. "Children at Risk Because of Pressure on Social Workers, Research Finds." The Guardian. The Guardian, 6 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/oct/06/overworked-social-workers-children-risk>.
Lips, Dan. "Foster Care Children Need Better Educational Opportunities." The Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation, 5 June 2007. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2007/06/foster-care-children-need-better-educational-opportunities#_ftn9>.
Admin. "Social Work: Low Pay, High Stress | Social Workers Speak." Social Work: Low Pay, High Stress. Social Workers Speak, 2 Nov. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.socialworkersspeak.org/cheers-and-jeers/social-work-low-pay-high-stress.html>.
Madrael. "CNN Reports Social Work Is the Most Stressful Overworked and Underpaid Job." The Madrigal Maniac. The Madrigal Maniac, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <http://www.madrigalmaniac.com/2009/11/19/cnn-reports-social-work-is-the-most-stressful-overworked-and-underpaid-job/>.
Levenson, Michael. "DCF Workers Deal with ‘shameful’ Office Conditions." BostonGlobe.com. Boston Globe, 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2015. <https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/03/31/dcf/vi7CKCiGrlOHQRrAwb0NGJ/story.html#comments>.
“These are the first hard brush strokes of the portrait that is this topic”
ReplyDeleteWell said.
Having looked at your source titles as well as your ‘selected’ stats such as “only 50% graduate by age 18,” I had to pause. In preparing my blog post for another student, an hour flew by after while happily clicking on links for sources to learn more about the topic. In your case, I feel compelled to read your sources for more information, yet not so eager . . . So I will, but not in my normal binge form of online reading.
So do you have any glimmers on how or who you might access to begin the process of exploring individual stories? Have you made any contact with your local DCF office?
At present, in addition to the national (and one international) sources you have gathered, have you been able to locate information specific to Vermont DCF? If not online, a phone call to DCF might lead to sources.
Having delved into such a gargantuan social issue, do you have any glimmers of how you might make the transition from research to action?
With a break of required blog posting next week, what are your next steps?
Alex, thanks for sharing this information,
Kate Carroll
As for my next steps, that ties I perfectly to your other questions. I have sources who have intimate knowledge of the foster system, and even have reached out to a few students I know who are in the system and would be willing to talk, however I have not yet reached out to the DCF office, so that is my next step! I do think that doing interviews is the next step, but I may wait on that because I would be a massive bummer if I schedule interviews and then go the overnight meeting on Thursday only to find out that I have to join another group and my topic is being scrapped.
Delete**its kind of irritating that we delve into our topics and become enamored with them, only to maybe have to give them up.
I totally understand! A good detail to share. Also think of Overnight as an opportunity to pitch others! While you and several students are very invested in your topic, that is not always the case for others. Sometimes the opportunity to be able to switch topics is a relief . . . so start planning to recruit an awesome team!
Delete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteI feel this. The facts are cold and hard. It reminds me of home. I'm originally from a rural reservation in South Dakota. Many of my high school classmates were from broken homes, placed in the foster care system, and were being shuffled from family to family. I've witnessed a multitude of the facts you are describing in your blog firsthand and it makes me feel solemn. I agree that the picture you are describing is incomplete...one that is very generalized and where the strokes are broad. We definitely need to hear the individual's perspective on this issue.
My biggest concern is how will you accomplish this? What is your plan of action? When you begin your interviews, what questions will you ask? How will you bring their stories to life?
Once idea I have for your qualitative research interview process is "The Life Story Interview." This method allows the interviewee describe their experiences using a story narrative. You could adapt the process to fit your interviewing needs (cut certain part out, change some sections, etc.). The link is below:
http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/foley/instruments/interview/
The method was developed by Professor Dan McAdams from the Psychology Department at Northwestern University. I think it would be a great place to begin thinking about your interview process, in case you need ideas for how to approach your interviewees.
Great job, Alex!
Carissa
Thank you!!! That is hugely helpful! Some of your questions I covered in my comment above, I am going to reach out to foster families though personal connections and compile interviews, them maybe do a comparative analysis between the interviews and the data above, that would be a great comparison. I am actually compiling a list of questions for foster parents right now, this is what I have so far, but I would love your input!
ReplyDeleteWhat are your overall views of the Department of Children and Families?
What do you think about the amount of evidence required to remove a child from its family?
Do you think the DCF runs efficiently? Why?
What do you know about the life of social workers, the level of work, dangers on the job etc.?
What is it like being a foster parent, and what does it entail?
What are the issues involved in being a foster parent? What do you know about why the number of foster parents is dropping.
Could you describe the additional stresses on the children, as well as their parents?
How does the foster system interact with the school system, if at all.
**You read my initial ideas on how to present this and bring it to life, but what I am struggling with is how to make it more interactive, how to not just have it be read this listen to this etc. Do you have any ideas on that?
I just discovered that another person, Adrienne Ledoux has actually been doing virtually the same project all this time! I had no idea, but what better way to get an admittedly overlarge project done than to work with someone who is doing the same project. While I was rather un-enthused by the whole merge/group project idea, working together with someone who was already doing the same issue would be great because neither of us would have to lose our project, and therefor we would both be fully enthusiastic about it.
ReplyDeleteActually, Alex, I think our focuses are different. Your focus, as far as I can tell, (I could be wrong) seems to be purely on DCF, while mine is on children in foster care. You described the DCF offices as “plagued with issues,” which, after reading your post, I am inclined to agree whole-heartedly!
DeleteAs part of my “interviewing” post, I spoke with the teacher of my Human Services course. As a person who’s been involved in that field for decades, she had a wealth of information to share with me, including details of DCF’s recent history. She told me that recent actions by Vermont’s legislature have cut DCF’s budget. This budget cut meant that the company encouraged many older social workers to retire as a cost-saving measure. You could also look into how Vermont’s opiate problem affects the increase in children removed from their homes. This increase in children is one of the factors leading to overworked social workers. If you’d like, I could consolidate my notes from the interview a little and send them to you. However, I’m sure you’re completely capable of conducting research independently.
Your blog listed many problems that social workers and children face, but few factors to them or solutions. It would be interesting to see a full picture of how DCF came to be in the state it is today, and how it can move forward to adequately serve the community.
Good luck in your project, I look forward to learning more about your issue!
Hi Alex,
ReplyDeleteGreat research so far! I see a lot of facts and statistics that will create a great end result project. It seems you are very knowledgable about this topic! Children in foster care is a huge issue everywhere. There are many programs near where I live and all around Vermont that I am sure you have come across in your research, but there is a woman that I could get you in touch with who is very involved with the foster care community near me. The topic I am focusing on is about the consolidation of schools in Vermont and what the loss of a school does to a community. I see ways for us to merge our ideas, perhaps when it comes to focusing on education in Vermont in general. We could research what it is like for very small schools to harbor foster children and what it is like for the kids themselves to go to small schools. Also, what happens when they have to start going to a different school because of consolidation? All of the research you have so far is extremely interesting, and I see us working together in the future to ensure a better educational experience for foster children and all children in Vermont.
Great work,
Ella
Alex,
ReplyDeleteI can’t really say I know a whole lot about the foster care system. What I have read so far about the points that you have touched on I am kind of amazed at some of the statistics you have shown. Although through reading this after a little while it kind of seemed dry like something that I wouldn’t necessarily read if it was handed to me. A question that I have from reading this weeks blog post is what are the actual numbers of foster families to children. I would imagine that an exact number is probably difficult to obtain if there even is one, but a number to give the size of the problem would be nice. You mentioned that the stories of individuals are still required I completely agree. A personal story of someone that has been through the system might shed a very important light on the issues of growing up and spending your whole life in the foster care system. What are some possible solutions to this as well? I am also curious as to what the actual problem is. I get that what’s going on is bad and a screwed up system but you didn’t actually say what the problem you are investigating is. Maybe it is in another post that I have not read, but either way that would be nice to know. What I really like about what you have done is shown the effects that it is having on children as well as case workers. It is a very unbiased and controlled way of writing that you are working with. If this is intentional or not I don’t know but keep it up. Your citing of sources is awesome by the way.
Brennan
Hi Kate and Carissa, as I finalize my presentation I have a few questions. Specifically I am looking for some potential brainstorm help on these two bullets:
ReplyDelete* Be specific; what’s the change you seek?
* Who are the intended audiences, stakeholders, and decision makers most important to this topic?
I have a few ideas but any input on them would be hugely appreciated.(I am thinking myself in circles, getting stuck on the same few changes and same few audiences, fresh minds can work wonders)
PS. If you are looking at my slide and see almost nothing there, dont worry. Most of the presentation is in story form, and the rest is mostly memorized.