Foster Youth and the Transition from High School

1
Foster Youth and the Transition from High School

• Juvenile Rights Project, Inc.

Cathy Kaufmann, MSW intern and Brian Baker, Staff
Attorney
2
Foster Care in the U.S.

• Over the last two decades, the foster care
  population has grown rapidly
• Number of children in care
• 1980 302,000
• 2000 556,000
• Rate of children in care
• 1980 4.7 / 1,000
• 2000 7.7 / 1,000
• Foster care caseloads have increased even as
  substantiated cases of abuse and neglect have
  declined.

3
Characteristics of Foster Children

• Even compared to at-risk children living with
  parents, children in foster care experienced high
  rates of
• Behavioral and emotional problems
• High rates of learning disabilities and problems
  in school
• Lower school attendance
• Poor mental health

4
Characteristics of Foster Children

• Poor physical health
• Higher levels of risky sexual behavior
• One study has shown that 20 of foster homes
  have problems in the home environment, family
  functioning and parenting.

5
Racial Disparity in Foster Care

• African-American children are over-represented in
  the foster care system
• Represent 15 of total population under 18, but
  account for 30 of children entering foster care
  and 42 of children residing in foster care.
• Have both a higher rate of entering care and a
  lower rate of leaving care.

6
Racial Disparity in Foster Care

• Over-representation of American Indian, Eskimo,
  and Aleut children, as well as slightly higher
  rates for Hispanic children.
• Under-representation for white and Asian and
  Pacific Islander children.

7
Adolescents in Foster Care

• 45 (251,148) of all children in foster care in
  2000 were adolescents (11 18 years of age).
• Adolescents are more likely to experience
  increased rates of placement instability.
• Adolescents 14 and older are also far more likely
  to live in group homes or institutions.

8
Adolescents in Foster Care

• About 2-3 of adolescents in out-of-home care
  other than family foster care are supervised in
  independent living.
• Over 20,000 of these youth 16 and older age out
  of foster care each year.

9
Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care Experience Poor
Outcomes

• The one study of a nationally representative
  sample of youth discharged from foster care
  showed
• 38 were emotionally disturbed
• 50 had used illegal drugs
• 25 were involved with the legal system
• Only 48 graduated from high school

10
Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care Experience Poor
Outcomes

• Only 38 stayed employed after leaving the system
  and only 48 of these had a full-time job,
  earning a median salary of 205/week (or 317 in
  2003 dollars /7/hour).
• Other state and regional studies have also shown
  an increased likelihood of homelessness.

11
Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care Experience Poor
Outcomes

• Only 38 stayed employed after leaving the system
  and only 48 of these had a full-time job,
  earning a median salary of 205/week (or 317 in
  2003 dollars /7/hour).
• Other state and regional studies have also shown
  an increased likelihood of homelessness.

12
Transition Planning in Schools

• Negative post-school results of special education
  students prompted a great deal of legislation
  over the last two decades.
• 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Recognized that a students educational program
  should no longer be provided in isolation from
  the students community living, working and
  social environments.
• Strengthened requirements for planning the
  transition from school to adulthood.

13
Transition Planning in Schools

• IDEA 2004, Transition Services Defined a
  results-oriented process, that is focused on
  improving the academic and functional achievement
  of the child with a disability to facilitate the
  childs movement from school to post-school
  activities, including postsecondary education,
  vocational education, integrated employment
  (including supported employment),

14
Transition Planning in Schools

• Continuing and adult education, adult services,
  independent living, or community participation
• (2) Is based on the individual childs needs,
  taking into account the childs strengths,
  preferences, and interests and includes-
• (i) Instruction
• (ii) Related Services

15
Transition Planning in Schools

• (iii) Community Experiences
• (iv) The development of employment and other
  post-school adult living objectives and
• (v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living
  skills and provision of a functional vocational
  evaluation.
• Transition services may be special education, if
  provided as specially designed instruction, or
  related service. 34 CFR sec. 300.43

16
Transition Service Needs

• What student will need to achieve current
  post-school goals.
• Generally means the courses of study / multi-year
  description of courses needed to achieve goals.
• Emphasis is more on planning than implementation
  unless IEP determines implementation of plan is
  appropriate.
• Must be updated annually along with IEP.

17
Transition Planning at 16

• Actively involve student in the development of
  the IEP
• Base the IEP on the students needs, preferences
  and interests
• Refine the students post-school goals
• Review the students transition service needs and
  adjust them as needed.
• Develop a statement of needed transition services

18
Community Involvement in Transition Planning and
Services

• If a participating agency fails to provide
  planned transition services, the school shall
  reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative
  strategies to meet the transition objectives. 34
  CFR sec. 300.324 (c)

19
Student Involvement in Transition Planning and
Services

• A student of any age must be invited to
  participate in an IEP meeting if the purpose
  of the meeting will be the consideration of the
  postsecondary goals for the child and the
  transition services needed to assist the child in
  reaching those goals 34 CFR sec. 300.321
  (b)(1).
• If the student does not attend, the school must
  take other steps to ensure that the childs
  preferences and interests are considered. 34 CFR
  sec. 300.321 (b)(2).

20
Transition Planning Participants

• The following people are required to be part of
  the IEP development
• Student and Parents (note broad parent definition
  in IDEA 2004)
• Regular Ed teacher (if student is or may be
  participating in general ed)
• At least one of the students Special Ed teachers
  (or special education provider, if appropriate)
• School district representative
• An individual who can interpret the instructional
  implications of evaluation results
• Other individuals who have knowledge or special
  expertise regarding the child, including related
  services personnel as appropriate (determined by
  school or parent) 34 CFR sec. 300.321

21
Transition IEPs

• Even though IEPs plan for one year, transition
  IEPs must think beyond a single year.
• By the age of 16, but can be earlier, a students
  IEP should be heavily focused on transition
  goals.
• IEPs should not be driven by an IEP form.
• Forms are deficit driven (based on present levels
  of performance) rather than students goals.

22
Transition Planning

• In this proposed schema, transition becomes an
  outcome-oriented process. The entire IEP for
  every transition-aged student,, becomes
  future-directed, goal-oriented, and based upon
  the students preferences, interests and needs.
  The IEP team needs to take a longitudinal view of
  where the student would like to end up and then
  build an IEP that will help the student get
  there (Storms, OLeary, and Williams, 2000, p.
  20.)

23
A Transition Plan Should

• Reflect and lead toward achieving the students
  goals.
• Be based on the students needs, interests and
  preferences.
• Identify long-range activities in each transition
  area necessary to help student achieve his or her
  goals.
• Identify who will provide, be responsible for and
  pay for each activity / service.

24
Identifying Student Goals

• Not knowing what one wants to do or having
  unrealistic expectations is a normative part of
  adolescent identity development and does not
  negate the need for IEP transition planning to be
  attended to and student-driven.
• Community / work experience is essential to the
  development of post-school goals students learn
  what they want to do by trying things out.

25
A Transition Plan Should

• Identify the dates or school year in which each
  activity will be addressed and prioritize the
  activities to be addressed in the coming school
  year.
• Demonstrate how the activities / providers will
  coordinate
• Ensure students are aware of and linked to
  post-school services, programs and supports
  before leaving school

26
Problems with Transition Plans

• Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
  monitors state implementation of IDEA,
  particularly the transition components.
• Problems with transition plans
• Addressing required components of statements of
  needed transition services.
• Inviting students and other agencies to
  transition IEP meetings.
• Developing a coordinated set of activities
• Identifying students post-school goals

27
Problems with Transition Plans

• Problems with transition plans continued
• Developing partnerships with other agencies /
  other resources to address students post-school
  service needs.
• Indicating on meeting invitations to students and
  parents that the purpose is transition planning.
• Oregon was cited for all of these issues in
  OSEPs 1999 study of the states implementation
  of IDEA.

28
Problems with Transition Plans

• Others studies indicate other problems
• Vague statements of student outcomes and
  activities.
• Lack of clarity regarding responsible personnel
  and timelines.
• Lack of long-range planning and annual revision.
• Lack of attention to best practices in transition
  planning.
• Lack of collaboration with relevant systems and
  agencies.
• Difference between school personnels perception
  of student / parent / other agency involvement
  and actual involvement.

29
Transition Best Practices

• Systematic and Collaborative transition planning
• Developing Community Connections
• Systematic skills assessment regarding
  independent living skills
• Facilitation of Natural Supports
• Independent Living Skills Training
• Family Involvement
• Peer Support
• Mentorship

30
Transition Best Practices

• Create seamless linkages between childs IEP and
  other service agencys transition plans, such as
  transition plans developed by DHS Child Welfare
  under SB 808, (ILP) Independent Living Program
  case plans, and/or Individual Service Plans
  developed by County Developmental Disabilities.

31
Transition in Oregon

• SB 808, ORS 419B.343 (3) Any time after a child
  attains 14 years of age, if the department
  determines that it is appropriate, but in no case
  later than the date the child attains 16 years of
  age, the department shall ensure that the case
  planning in the case addresses the childs needs
  and goals for a successful transition to
  independent living, including . . .

32
Transition in Oregon

• SB 808 plans Needs and goals related to
• Housing
• Physical and mental health
• Education
• Employment
• Community connections and
• Supportive relationships

33
Transition in Oregon

• Planning should focus on
• Resolution of Mental Health Issues
• Resolution of Family of Origin Issues
• Self-Perceptions Self-Esteem
• Resilience
• Involve teens in making decisions that affect
  their lives
• Promote their development through a
  well-thought-out plan rather than seeking to
  fix things through crisis services
• Recognize value their strengths and seek ways
  to support them
• Involve them in planning developing services
  whenever possible