Using Cross-system Communication to Promote Educational Well-being of Foster Children: Recommendations for a National Research, Practice, and Policy Agenda

Abstract

This study captures the voices of school-based behavioral specialists employed across the state of Michigan to share how well schools and child welfare agencies communicate and collaborate to address the educational well-being of foster care children on their caseloads. This includes knowledge of federal policies and how they support and hinder communication across systems. Participants included a total of 249 K–12 employed school psychologists, counselors, and social workers. Survey methodology was used, and both inferential and narrativeanalyses revealed that these schoolpractitioners werehighlyunawareof how to identify the foster care children in their schools and what supports they need. The three groups of school-based professionals were similarly unaware, they have minimal communication with outside agencies, and they largely do not take initiative in reaching out to communicate and collaborate with community-based agencies outside the school. Despite that, collectively, the work of child welfare and education professionals could have a substantial impact on retention and the overall student performance of children who are living in out-of-home care. Implicationsofthislackofcommunication and awarenessarediscussed, and recommendations to guide a national research agenda for advocacy and policy efforts are identified.