UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools’ Post

What are the top three things we need to do to better support students with foster care experience? Twinspire: Together We Inspire Executive Director and UCLA doctoral candidate Demontea Thompson shares his recommendations: 💻Establish a nationwide K-12 comprehensive foster youth database to identify foster youth who need the most support, enabling targeted interventions. 🫂Increase access to mental health services, financial support, and basic needs assistance for foster families to ensure foster youth can succeed in school and life. 💲Increase funding for school-based foster youth support, including more counselors and targeted grants. Hear more insights from former foster youth in Episode 8 of ‘Among Us’: https://lnkd.in/gbefz_tN. Angela James UCLA School of Education and Information Studies United Friends of the Children The RightWay Foundation #fosteryouth #fostercare #fosterparents #fostersupport #fosterparent #fosterfamily #fostercareawareness #fosterparenting #YouthPolicy #FosterCareAdvocacy #AmongUsPodcast #newpodcast #Podcasting #socialjustice #FosterCareSystem #ThisIsFosterCare #FosterCareSupport #FosterCareJourney #fostercarecommunity #formerfosteryouth #fosteryouthsupport #fosteryouthvoices #fosterstudent 

What is the role of 💙 foster parents 💙 in supporting children in need? Joel Sankey and I are dedicated foster parents focused on creating a safe haven for children in need. Our approach combines love, care, and guidance to nurture their growth and healing. Collaborating closely with social workers, educators, and therapists, we ensure each child's unique needs are met comprehensively. Celebrating milestones, teaching life skills, and fostering positive relationships are at the core of our mission. Your support means everything! If you have insights or resources that could benefit our mission of providing a nurturing environment for children in need, please share them in the comments below. Together, we can make a positive impact and create brighter futures. #FosterCare #ChildAdvocacy #Teamwork

Today is #TrainingTuesday! This week's highlight is our on-demand course "How Loss Impacts Youth in Foster Care."  Foster youth often encounter unexplained loss of someone or something important that forces unwelcome change in their lives, leaving youth in a state of grieving.  This training explains characteristics of loss with clear examples and provides information about the communication skills needed to engage in open, positive communication to ensure your youth feel heard and supported!  To learn more or enroll in this training, click the link provided below: https://lnkd.in/gAfaAThB

🌟 I’ve been learning more about the transition challenges faced by young adults aging out of the foster care system, especially after my own experience with fostering to adopt a child at risk of aging out. One promising solution I heard about is intergenerational housing. This approach offers stable housing and a supportive community that can greatly ease the transition to independence. Older adults in these settings can provide mentorship, life skills training, and emotional support—essential tools for young adults facing the uncertainty of adulthood. Moreover, intergenerational housing fosters a sense of belonging and reduces isolation, while also offering valuable networking opportunities and access to crucial resources. As innovative ways to support those aging out of foster care are explored, intergenerational housing holds great potential to make a meaningful impact. I remain curious to see how things unfold. https://lnkd.in/eX4Z3tQP 🏡🤝 #FosterCare #IntergenerationalHousing #SocialImpact

In Arizona, there are approximately 10,000 children and youth ages 0 – 21 years in foster care. Why are kids placed in foster care? That answer is complicated, as it can be a combination of multiple factors. But here are the top four reasons: 1. Neglect 2. Physical abuse 3. Sexual abuse 4. Emotional abuse No matter the reasons, being removed from everything you know is a deeply traumatic experience. Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation is here to change the story for young people in care by: - Funding extracurricular activities and experiences that every child deserves to enjoy - Providing career, education and workforce development services -  Supporting post-secondary students with foster care backgrounds with financial aid not just for tuition and fees, but also for unexpected life emergencies that could prevent them from completing their education Learn more at affcf.org. #fostercareawarenessmonth #mayisfostercareawarenessmonth #fostercare #changethestory #transformalife #40yearsofchangingthestory #affcf40thanniversary #childhoodactivities #keystosuccess #postsecondaryprograms #AFFCF #azffcf #youwinkidswin

New Resource Alert! * We are thrilled to introduce our latest comprehensive guide: "Creating a Safe Space for Children in Foster Care: Fostering Inclusivity and Support in School Environments." This essential resource is designed to equip educators, school staff, and caregivers with the knowledge and strategies needed to provide a supportive and understanding environment for children in foster care. Our guide addresses the unique challenges faced by children in foster care, emphasising the importance of trauma-informed approaches, stable support systems, and inclusive school policies. By fostering empathy, respect, and understanding, we can help children in care thrive both academically and emotionally. 👉 Key Highlights: 🔰 Insights into trauma-informed practices 🔰Practical strategies for educators 🔰Importance of stable and supportive environments 🔰Enhancing peer support and inclusivity Join us in making a difference in the lives of children in foster care. Let’s work together to create school environments where every child feels safe, valued, and empowered to succeed.  #fostercare #inclusivityinschools #supportinfostercare #educationalresources #teachers #traumainformed #inclusiveeducation

In AOI's latest podcast, Lynn Tonini interviews Mark Mecum, CEO of Ohio Children's Alliance in Columbus, Ohio. Mark explains the work that his organization does for youth aging out of foster care through the Ohio Bridges Program, the state's extended foster care program. We talk about the importance of prevention so that youth don't have to go into foster care in the first place, and we wrap up discussing opportunities to improve outcomes for aged-out youth. https://lnkd.in/ght97X45

Many young adults rely on their parents for financial and emotional support well into their twenties. But what about those who "graduate" from foster care each year? These young people often enter adulthood abruptly and without the same level of support. While some states offer extended foster care, many of these vulnerable young adults deserve even more. They need the kind of creativity and commitment that biological and adoptive parents provide for their own children. If you want to learn more about this important issue and how we can support these young adults, read the full article below: https://lnkd.in/eVY_fTGi Youth Empowerment Success Services - Helping Youth become housed, educated, employed, and connected 💚 www.yess4youth.org #FosterCare #SupportYoungAdults #EveryChildMatters #YouthEmpowerment #FosterCare #AgingOut

Reading this was calming to my nervous system. While the memo is written from the perspective of a young child who is in foster care and is about to start school, there are many trauma-informed strategies named in the memo to support the little one that can be of value for us as adults in the workplace. Curious about what you might write in a memo to your boss about what conditions and ways of doing things would support your nervous system at work. #traumainformed #nervoussystemregulation #psychologicalsafety https://lnkd.in/g3QRewQe

This article captures the real life struggles for a lot of our young adults transitioning out of foster care into the real world and the importance of genuine collaborative efforts between programs and organizations to ensure success during the transition. A huge shoutout to the Great Expectations program and the team at Bright Point Community College. The power of our collaborative efforts changes lives and generations.