Investigating positive reading trajectories among children who experienced out-of-home care

Abstract

BackgroundChildren who experience out-of-home care (OOHC) often have low academic achievement which subsequently negatively affects their adult life outcomes, yet a smaller proportion succeed in spite of adversity. Scant research has examined the trajectories of children who achieve well in school and factors associated with positive educational outcomes. Objectives(1) Describe the reading trajectories from Year 3 to Year 7 of school of children who experienced OOHC, with a focus on higher achievement and improving trajectories. (2) Identify child, carer and placement characteristics plus supports and services associated with positive reading trajectories among children who have experienced OOHC. Participants and settingThe study included 325 children from the Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS) in New South Wales, Australia. MethodsThe POCLS is a prospective cohort study including linked survey data and administrative child protection and education data. Group based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to identify and describe common trajectories of reading achievement. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with different reading trajectories. ResultsGBTM revealed three reading trajectories among non-Aboriginal children, and two among Aboriginal children. A high achieving group (12% of non-Aboriginal children) were the only trajectory group to maintain their level of achievement across the study. Improving achievement was rare, while falling behind over time was common across achievement levels. ConclusionsResults point to the need for early intervention supporting school readiness and catch-up growth, with ongoing interventions for children who experience OOHC to prevent declining student outcomes across achievement levels and extend talented students.