The School Counselor and Supporting Students in Foster Care

(Adopted 2018, revised 2024)

ASCA Position

School counselors advocate for and implement school counseling programs that meet all students’ academic, career and social/emotional needs. School counselors recognize thatstudents who experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as being in the foster care system, are at a much higher risk for negative health and educational outcomes. Studentsin foster care represent an often-overlooked student population.

The Rationale

Children and youth in foster care represent one of the most vulnerable student subgroups in this country. Approximately 391,098 children were in foster care in 2022 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022). Children in foster care experience much higher levels of residential and school instability than their peers and are more likely to face a variety of academic difficulties (CDC, 2023; U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016) School counselors are aware of the cultural factors that may be in play as students transition into cultures that may not be the same as their family of origin. Additionally, school counselors consistently support students in culturally affirming ways.
 
Strong, collaborative relationships between public schools and child welfare agencies improve the educational outcomes of students in the foster care system (Huscroft-D’Angelo et al., 2022; Stapleton & Chen, 2020). It is imperative that school counselors collaborate across specialties and professions, as well as with students’ families of origin and foster families, to support individual students and their unique needs.

The School Counselor's Role

School counselors and education partners work together to learn federal and state laws and school district policies regarding students in foster care. School counselors should be knowledgeable about special circumstances and rights students may have in qualifying statesand districts in which youth in foster care are able to receive transportation to their school of origin, earn their high school diploma with fewer credits, be eligible for partial credits and/or may qualify for a fifth year of high school if they changed schools after their sophomore year (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). School counselors serve as the liaison between their school and child welfare agencies to promote communication and collaboration to addressstudents’ educational needs in their specific communities and improve students’ educational outcomes. School counselors advocate for policies and procedures addressing the unique needs of students in foster care. 
 
In addition, school counselors:
  • Promote an inclusive school climate that includes connectedness and a sense of belonging for students in foster care
  • Recognize that a stable environment is helpful for students in foster care and encourage stability, safety and community in all areas
  • Assist in bridging the communication gaps among schools, families, child welfare agencies and communities during times of transitions
  • Identify and promote protective factors and strengths to support development
  • Collaborate with foster/biological family and community partners (e.g., social workers,therapists, attorneys and case managers)
  • Display an awareness of the challenges students face, including promoting representation in materials (e.g., families/guardians instead of parents)
  • Address personal and systemic biases and deficit-based approaches to eliminate systemic barriers impeding the success of students in foster care (ASCA, 2021)
  • Support school and district teams in the decision-making process regarding educational equity and planning
  • Use data-informed approaches to identify needs and support remediation efforts for students in foster care experiencing educational gaps due to transitions
  • Engage in and promote professional development opportunities for students in foster care and advocate for their diverse, distinct needs in school
  • Support the college and career readiness needs of students in foster care through postsecondary-focused resources and activities (e.g., current scholarships, grants and application-fee waiver programs available to students in foster care in their states)
  • Understand the intersections of students’ cultural identities and the need for culturally responsive practices 

Summary

School counselors recognize students in the foster care system are resilient, have manystrengths and may require additional support in obtaining resources, academic planning, college/career advisement and social/emotional care. School counselors recognize it is their duty to be knowledgeable about legislation, resources and needs and to advocate for students in foster care.

References

American School Counselor Association. (2022). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. American School Counselor Association. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/44f30280-ffe8-4b41-9ad8-f15909c3d164/EthicalStandards.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2021). The School Counselor and Anti-Racist Practices. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Anti-Racist-Practices

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023b, June 29). Adverse childhood experiences (aces). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html  

Children’s Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb. 

Clemens, E. V., Klopfenstein, K., Lalonde, T. L., & Tis, M., (2018). The effects of placement and school stability on academic growth trajectories of students in foster care, Children and Youth Services Review, 87, 86-94.

Huscroft-D’Angelo, J., Trout, A. L., Poling, D. V., Brown, A. D., & Dittmer, C. M. (2022). Service provider perspectives on educational needs of students transitioning from foster care to permanency placements. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 16(5), 632–651. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2021.1942390

Stapleton, D. H., & Chen, R. K. (2020). Better outcomes for children in treatment foster care through improved stakeholder training and increased parent-school collaboration. Children and Youth Services Review, 114, 105010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105010

U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016, June 23). Significant Guidance. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide.pdfU.S. 

Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016, June 23). Significant Guidance. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide.pdf

Waller, A. C., & Rascoe, E. S. (2023). Challenges and Culturally Responsive Practices of School Counselors Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Qualitative Study. Professional School Counseling, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X231202484 

Resources
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (n.d.) Resources. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/school-support-and-accountability/students-foster-care/resources/

U.S. Department of Education (n.d.) Students in Foster Care. https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/foster-care/index.html