Advocating for the Special
Needs Foster Child
Cathy Boswell
IN*SOURCE
Regional Program Specialist
Foster Parents Make a
Difference
By influencing a positive school
experience.
By being informed about what is
happening at school.
By advocating for special education when
appropriate
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Foster Kids are at Risk!
More than half a million children and youth
in foster care.
Studies suggest that at least 1/3 have
disabilities.
Children with disabilities are
disproportionally represented in the foster
care system.
Risk Factors for Foster Children
• 80% are prenatally exposed to substances
• 50-80% have mental and behavioral health
problems
• 40% are born at a low birth weight or premature
• 30-80% have at least one chronic medical
condition (e.g. asthma, HIV, TB)
• 30-60 % have developmental delays
• 30-50% have dental decay
• 30-40% receive special education services
• 25% have three or more chronic health
problems
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Poor Outcomes for Foster Kids
with Disabilities
• Less likely to be reunified with family or
adopted
• Are placed in multiple foster homes
• Stay in foster care longer
• Do poorly in school
• Are more likely to be on psychotropic
medications
• Are more likely to be mistreated
• Are more likely to be institutionalized
Long-term Outcomes
Foster children have higher rates of:
• Homelessness
• Substance abuse
• Unemployment
• Receiving public assistance
• Criminal justice involvement
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Children with Disabilities
3.76 times more likely to be neglected
3.79 times more likely to be physically
abused
3.14 times more likely to be emotionally
abused
3.4 times more likely to be maltreated than
children without an identified disability
Children with disabilities tended to be
maltreated multiple times in multiple ways.
(Sullivan and Knutson, 2000).
Why are these children at so
much risk?
• Lower rate of achieving permanency
• Children with disabilities stay in the system
longer
• Don’t get adopted as often
• Lack of adult support system
• To develop social skills
• Learn to get benefits through social services
• To develop life skills to be successful
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Do We Have a Problem?
Each year, approximately 20,000 young
adults “age out” of the foster care system
at age eighteen. They often enter adult
life with :
-Little or no help from family;
-Few community connections;
-Little financial support
Are We Ignoring Foster Youth With Disabilities? Sarah Geenen, Ph.D. and
Laurie Powers, Ph.D. ,Portland State University Regional Research Institute
Lack of School Success
Children in both foster care and special education:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Had lower grade point averages
Changed schools more frequently
Earned fewer credits toward graduation
Had lower scores on state testing
Were more likely to be exempted from state testing
Were more likely to be in segregated special
education classrooms
7. Had more instability in foster care placement
Fostering Futures Project
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The Fostering Futures study
identified 6 key factors behind the
lack of academic success in
foster children with disabilities.
Fostering Futures: Understanding the Educational Experiences and
Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care
1. SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS OF FOSTER
CHILDREN ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED.
Education often not emphasized in the child
welfare system.
Need for accurate, timely exchange of
information between schools and DCS.
FERPA law can sometimes make exchange of
information more difficult.
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3. Youth Often Face Social Isolation
Changes in placement often make it difficult
to form friendships with peers.
Feelings of being “different” from peers
because of being in the “system”
Feeling different because of the disability
Youth in care may not have supportive
relationships with caring adults; may be
estranged from their biological family.
2. FOSTER CHILDREN ARE LESS LIKELY
TO RECEIVE SERVICES.
Multiple placements can result in records not
following in timely manner.
Children with behavioral, emotional and learning
disabilities more likely to have multiple
placements in foster homes.
Instability caused by changing schools have a
negative impact on educational performance.
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4. Lack of Educational Advocates
• Indiana law now defines the foster parent as the
“parent” for educational purposes, i.e., signing
the IEP and making educational decisions (IAC
7-32-70) unless a court order states that the
biological parent retains this right.
• Foster parents sometimes do not have sufficient
knowledge of the special education laws, so
they do not know how to advocate for the child
in their home.
• Lack of knowledge can negatively impact the
services a child receives.
5. Lack of Coordination in Transition
Planning Between Schools and DCS
Transition is a bridge to help youth move into
adult life.
Foster Care Independence Act provides
resources to help youth transition into adult
world.
Transition planning also occurs starting at age
14 for special education students.
Lack of coordination between agencies can
result in duplication of services or conflicting
outcomes.
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6. Professionals Unknowledgeable About
Unique Needs of Foster Children
Reasons for poor school performance are
often different from peers so interventions
should be different;
Teachers need specific strategies for
supporting students;
FCMs need training about disabilities.
Here are three ways you can
help.
1. Assist in identifying a child that might have an
undiagnosed disability.
2. Assist in ensuring a seamless transition of older
youth in foster care to comprehensive
independent living services and supports in the
community.
3. Advocate to improve the educational services
and supports to the child if needed.
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Be an Advocate!
Advocacy is about working with people to
support them in ways that are responsive
to their own needs and best interests.
Successful advocacy efforts for children
with disabilities include understanding
rights, entitlements, and responsibilities
and knowing what to do if your advocacy
efforts are not working.
If you have a foster child
with a disability:
Meet with the Special Education teacher
ASAP.
Make sure the school has previous records.
Get a copy of the IEP and read it.
Call IN*SOURCE if you don’t understand the
IEP or have questions.
Watch the IN*SOURCE training classes online.
If something doesn’t seem right for your kids at
school – ask about it!
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Community Resources
Many agencies throughout the state
provide assistance to families and
professionals in the form of telephone
assistance, training and advocacy:
Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services
(www.in.gov/ipas)
IN*Source ( www.insource.org or www.myinsource.org)
ARC of Indiana (www.arcind.org)
About Special Kids (www.ask.org)
Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association
(www.ifcaa.org) or call 800-468-4228)
Bibliography
Sara Munson, This is Forgotten Children: A Case for Action for Children and Youth with
Disabilities in Foster Care (Children’s Rights and United Cerebral Palsy, 2006), page
Sullivan and Knutson, 2000, as cited in Peggy O’Neil, Abuse and Neglect of Children with
Disabilities: A Collaborative Response, (Richmond, VA: Partnership for People with Disabilities,
Virginia Commonwealth University, 2003)
Youth with Disabilities in the Foster Care System: Barriers to Success and Proposed Policy
Solutions, (National Council on Disability, February 26, 2008)
Mary Steinberg and Judith Hylton, Responding to Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities: A
Trainer's Guide, 1998, (Oregon Health Sciences University) as cited in Peggy O’Neil, Abuse and
Neglect of Children with Disabilities: A Collaborative Response,(Richmond, VA: Partnership for
People with Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2003)
Impact Of A Child’s Disability on Family Life, Abuse and Neglect of Children with Disabilities,
Courtney, M.E. & Piliquin, I., The Wisconsin Study of Youth Aging Out of Out-of-Home Care: A
Portrait of Children About to Leave Care (1998)
Disabilities Rights Network Foster Care Legal Back-Up
Fostering Futures: Understanding the Educational Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with
Disabilities in Foster Care, Dr. Sara Geenen , Portland State University
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Questions?
Visit our Website at
www.Insource.org
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