Abstract
Although former foster youth desire to pursue higher education, childhood trauma and educational instability, among other experiences, contribute to low college enrollment and completion rates. Through the lens of the ecological systems model, the researchers sought to understand the internal and external factors that former foster youth believe have contributed to or impeded their choices to attend and ability to navigate college. Twenty-three former foster youth currently enrolled in a college or university participated in semi-structured interviews that asked them to explain influences on their preparation for pursuing higher education, their decisions to attend college, and their ability to navigate college life successfully. Findings indicated that youth relied on caregivers, high school counselors, social workers, and child welfare staff who prepared them for college and helped make decisions to apply. They also reported internal motivations to attend college. In college, they relied on campus resources (e.g., extra-curricular activities, faculty) to navigate college life. They reported lingering family problems, lack of family support, and racial/ethnic stereotyping on campus that impacted their college experiences. Their stress was managed by seeking counseling and increasing their campus involvement. Implications suggest that supportive resources should be holistic and include pre- and post-college enrollment academic guidance, family and fictive kin support, positive peer relationships, child welfare agency support, and elimination of social stigmas that can undermine youths’ sense of self-efficacy and future. With increased awareness of needs, colleges or universities and professionals will be better equipped to implement targeted supports for this unique, non-traditional population.
Highlights
-
College-bound foster youth lack consistency in social, financial, and academic preparation to succeed beyond high school.
-
Former foster youth college graduation rates remain significantly low despite increased educational access.
-
Former foster youth need an “eco-network” of school, community, and family-based supports to navigate college.
-
Academia should better prepare to support the specialized needs of former foster youth transitioning into adulthood.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alameda County CASA (2007). Group homes project. https://www.casaofalamedacounty.org/District/News/1233-Group-Homes-Project-Report.html
Atkinson, A. J., Gonet, P. A., Freundlich, M., & Riley, D. B. (2013). Adoption competent clinical practice: Defining its meaning and development. Adoption Quarterly, 16(3–4), 156–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2013.844215
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braithwaite, D. O., Bach, B. W., Baxter, L. A., DiVerniero, R., Hammonds, J. R., Hosek, A. M., & Wolf, B. M. (2010). Constructing family: A typology of voluntary kin. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 27(3), 388–407. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407510361615
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). The ecology of the family as a context for human development. Developmental Psychology, 22(6), 723–742. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.22.6.723
Casey Family Programs (2010). Supporting success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care. https://www.casey.org/supporting-success/
Cavanaugh, S. E., & Fomby, P. (2012). School context, family instability, and the academic careers of adolescents. Sociology of Education, 85(1), 81–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040711427312
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2017). Foster care statistics 2015. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/foster.pdf
Children’s Bureau (2017). Adoption and foster care analysis and reporting system (AFCARS) report. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/afcarsreport24.pdf
Comer, J. P. (1988). Educating poor minority children. Scientific American, 259(5), 2–8. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24989262
Comer, J. P., Joyner, E. T., & Ben-Avie, M. (Eds.) (2004). Six pathways to healthy child development and academic success: The field guide to Comer schools in action. Corwin Press.
Day, A., Riebschleger, J., Dworsky, A., Damashek, A., & Fogarty, K. (2012). Maximizing educational opportunities for youth aging out of foster care by engaging youth voices in a partnership for social change. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 1007–1014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.02.001
Davis, R. J. (2006). College access, financial aid, and college success for undergraduates from foster care. National Association of Student Financial Aid Directors. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED543361.pdf
Dettlaff, A. J., Rivaux, S. L., Baumann, D. J., Fluke, J. D., Rycraft, J. R., & James, J. (2011). Disentangling substantiation: The influence of race, income, and risk on the substantiation decision in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(9), 1630–1637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.04.005
Dworsky, A., & Perez, A. (2010). Helping former foster youth graduate from college through campus support programs. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 255–263.
Engel, R., & Schutt, R. (2012). The practice of research in social work (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.09.004
First Star Institute (2018). Foster youth success in college project. https://www.firststarinstitute.org/best-practices
Fostering Success in Education (2018). National factsheet on the education outcomes of children in foster care. http://www.fostercareandeducation.org/OurWork/NationalWorkingGroup.aspx
Garbarino, J., & Sherman, D. (1980). High risk neighborhoods and high risk families: The human ecology of child maltreatment. Child Development, 51, 188–198. https://www.jstor.org/stable/14031129606
Geiger, J., Hayes Piel, M., Day, A., & Schelbe, L. (2018). A descriptive analysis of programs serving foster care alumni in higher education: Challenges and opportunities. Children and Youth Services Review, 85, 287–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.01.001
Gypen, L., Vanderfaeillie, J., DeMaeyer, S., Belenger, L., & Van Holen, F. (2017). Outcomes of children who grew up in foster care: Systematic-review. Children and Youth Services Review, 76, 74–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.02.035
Hernandez, L., & Naccarato, T. (2010). Scholarships and supports available to foster care alumni: A study of 12 programs across the US. Children and Youth Services Review, 32(5), 758–766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.01.014.
Houston, D. M., & Kramer, L. (2008). Meeting the long-term needs of families who adopt children out of foster care: A three-year follow-up study. Child Welfare, 87(4), 145–170. https://www.cwla.org/child-welfare-journal/journal-archives/
Hill, R. B. (2006). Synthesis of research on disproportionality in child welfare: An update. Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity in the Child Welfare System. http://www.citizenreviewpanelsny.org/documents/disproportionality_paper_bob_hill.pdf
Kilgore, L., & Miller-Ott, A. E. (2019). I knew college was in the cards for me: The role of memorable messages in foster youth’s post-secondary education decisions. Ohio Communication Journal, 57, 19–32. https://ohiocomm.org/ohio-communication-journal/
Kinarsky, A. R. (2017). Fostering success: Understanding the experience of foster youth undergraduates. Children and Youth Services Review, 81, 220–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.08.016
Lauri, M. (2011). Triangulation of data analysis techniques. Papers on Social Representations, 20(2), 1–15. https://psr.iscte-iul.pt/index.php/PSR/article/view/449
Leonard, J. (2011). Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory to understand community partnerships: A historical case study of one urban high school. Urban Education, 46, 987–1010. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085911400337
Miller, J. J., Benner, K., Kheibari, A., & Washington, E. (2017). Conceptualizing on-campus support programs for collegiate foster youth and alumni: A plan for action. Children and Youth Services Review, 83, 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.10.028
O’Hare, W. (2008). Data on children in foster care from the Census Bureau. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. https://www.aecf.org/m/pdf/FosterChildren-July-2008.pdf
Okpych, N. (2012). Policy framework supporting youth aging-out of foster care through college: Review and recommendations. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(7), 1390–1396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.02.013
Osgood, D., Foster, E., & Courtney, M. (2010). Vulnerable populations and the transition to adulthood. Future of Children, 20(1), 209–229. https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.0.0047
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. SAGE Publications.
Ryan, C. L., & Bauman, K. (2016). Educational attainment in the United States: 2015. US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p20-578.pdf
Salazar, A. (2013). The value of a college degree for foster care alumni: Comparison with general population samples. Social Work, 58(2), 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swt014
Sarubbi, M., Parker, E., & Sponsler, B. (2016). Strengthening policies for foster youth postsecondary attainment. Education Commission of the States. https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Strengthening_Policies_for_Foster_Youth_Postsecondary_Attainment-1.pdf
Strolin-Goltzman, J., Woodhouse, V., Suter, J., & Werrbach, M. (2016). A mixed method study on educational well-being and resilience among youth in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 70, 30–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.08.014
Swick, K., & Williams, R. (2006). An analysis of Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological perspective for early childhood educators: Implications for working with families experiencing stress. Early Childhood Education, 33, 371–378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0078-y
Turney, K., & Wildeman, C. (2017). Adverse childhood experiences among children placed in and adopted from foster care: Evidence from a nationally representative survey. Child Abuse & Neglect, 64, 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.12.009
UDHHS (2008). Developing healthy people 2020: Phase I report recommendations for the framework and format of healthy people. US Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.healthypeople.gov/sites/default/files/PhaseI_0.pdf
Unrau, Y. A., Dawson, A., Hamilton, R. D., & Bennett, J. L. (2017). Perceived value of a campus-based College support program by students who aged out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 78, 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.05.011
Unrau, Y. A., Font, S., & Rawls, G. (2012). Readiness for college engagement among students who have aged out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(1), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.002
Wang, T. R. (2014). “I’m the only person from where I’m from to go to college”: Understanding the Memorable messages first-generation college students receive from parents. Journal of Family Communication, 14(3), 270–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2014.908195
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Spencer Foundation, Grant Number 465009876.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Appendix
Thank you for agreeing to participate in our study on the college experiences of former foster youth.
First, I am going to ask you some questions about factors that influenced your decision to attend college:
-
(1)
What, if any, messages about higher education/college did you receive from your foster parents?
Probes: What were these messages? When did you receive them? How were they given to you? (verbally, through informational materials, etc.)
-
(2)
How, if at all, did you know that higher education was an option for you during high school?
-
(3)
What resources, if any, were provided for you to attend a higher ed school? For instance, money, family support, agency support, etc.?
-
(4)
Did your high school facilitate any college visits or college question and answer sessions? If so, did you attend those? Why/why not?
-
(5)
In what ways do you believe that you were prepared for college during high school? Both by your family and your high school?
Follow-up: What was most helpful? Least helpful? Why?
-
(6)
Did anyone provide assistance to you in applying to or visiting colleges? If so, who did and what support did they provide?
-
(7)
How do you choose which college was a good fit for you?
Follow-up: What were some characteristics of an institution that you were looking for? How did you decide how far away you would go to college?
-
(8)
What, if anything, did your foster family teach you about personal finances before college?
If your foster family did not teach you about finances, did anyone? Please explain.
Follow-ups: If you have a bank account, who/what taught you how to get one? If you have a budget, who/what taught you how to develop one?
-
(9)
Please explain the process through which you found housing for college. For instance, did someone help you look, how did you decide where you wanted to be, did family members offer for you to live with them, were you asked to go out on your own?
Now I am going to ask you some specific questions about your experiences as a college student:
-
(10)
Some students become involved with extracurricular activities while on campus. Do you participate in campus activities? Are you involved with any campus organizations?
Probes (if needed, give some of these as examples): organized or intramural sports, dance/theater/art clubs, Greek life, pre-professional club, student organizations, social clubs, etc.
-
(11)
What would you describe as your best strengths as a college student? As a young adult?
Probes (if needed, give some of these as examples): self-confidence, communication skills, self-discipline, focus and staying on track, organizational skills, time management, study skills, enthusiasm, social skills, resourcefulness, help-seeking skills, creativity.
-
(12)
Some students experience stress while in school and even may have feelings of fear and anxiety. Do you ever experience stress or feelings of anxiety?
If they say yes, then ask: What specific stressors do you have? (to give an examples if needed: academics, family stress, relationships, housing, money, lack of support, fear of failure)
If they say no, then ask: What helps you avoid these feelings?
-
(13)
What do you usually do to overcome stress in your life?
(If needed for examples: talk with others, counseling, exercising, partying, creative outlet, avoid issues)
-
(14)
What resources do you usually use for campus/academic support?
Probes (to give as examples if needed): writing or tutoring services, academic or career advising, counseling center, financial aid, meeting with professors, childcare services, health care, legal services, library, disability services, religious programs, mentors, campus housing, etc.
-
(15)
Every individual has difficulties in life. How do you describe things that have contributed to your personal life challenges?
Probes (to give as examples if needed): Familial challenges, love/acceptance, personal needs, social support, high school preparation, future support/plans, anything else?
Follow-up: please explain how you overcame these obstacles.
-
(16)
What, if any, role has your race and gender played in your academic experiences?
Probes (to give as examples if needed): not being taken seriously or your ideas being ignored or devalued, being misunderstood or mistreated, being left out, others thinking you are inferior, superficial treatment by others, being mistaken for someone else of your same race, overhearing or being told an offensive joke or comment, being called on in class as the “voice” of your race or gender, etc.
Follow-ups: What have been your reactions or responses to these experiences?
How have these experiences impacted you academically, socially, and/or emotionally?
-
(17)
Social/emotional well-being is an essential part of human health and happiness. What experiences have promoted or impacted positive development in your life?
Probes (to give as examples if needed): maintaining a well-grounded sense of self-confidence, appropriately managing and expressing emotions, setting goals, taking the perspective of others, maintaining healthy relationships, making good decisions, supportive relationships, etc.
-
(18)
What support and services do you think could help you, as you move forward toward graduation, to be successful at school and in life after college?
-
(19)
What advice, if any, do you have for other youth in foster care who are considering going to college or who are currently in college to help them succeed in college?
-
(20)
That was the last question I have for you today. Before we end, is there anything else you think we should know about your experiences in higher education or in high school as you prepared for college?
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Avant, D.W., Miller-Ott, A.E. & Houston, D.M. “I Needed to Aim Higher:” Former Foster Youths’ Pathways to College Success. J Child Fam Stud 30, 1043–1058 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01892-1
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01892-1