College students with a history in the foster care program may need more support and help identifying financial aid programs, according to a recent study from Trellis Strategies.
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Nationwide, youth who leave the foster care system often aspire to complete a college degree, but only a fraction enroll in college, and very few graduate. For those who have signed up, they are likely to experience poor food and housing and financial stress, according to a recent report by Trellis Strategies.
The study highlights gaps in effective support for former youth as they pursue higher education and ways colleges and universities can better serve students with foster care experiences.
What is the need: One of the main challenges of registering is financial difficulty. The cost of higher education is a barrier for the average student when considering post-secondary education, but youth with foster care experience may need help getting to and from college.
A fall 2023 survey by Trellis Strategies found that 83 percent of youth who were in foster care (YFFC) faced financial problems while in college, compared to 71 percent of their peers. Three out of five students who experienced foster care said that financial difficulties had a negative impact on their ability to focus on schoolwork. Additionally, 45 percent of former youth had very poor food and 69 percent were homeless.
Another important trend is a report that found that former foster youth have higher levels of help-seeking behavior, with three-quarters saying they have reached out to a counselor or worker for help with their financial problems, compared to 64 percent of their peers.
Students were not aware of the funding available, however. Only 39 percent of homeless youth reported that their institution was aware of their financial challenges. Seven in 10 respondents did not know if their college or university offered YFFC-specific programs, and 63 percent did not know if their state had assistance programs. Colleges and universities often rely on students who self-identify for tuition and waivers to provide aid, leaving a gap for students who do not benefit from the services and resources available.
Among the 18 percent of students who said their institution had YFFC-specific assistance programs, nearly three in five participated. Similarly, of the 25 percent who do not know about YFFC’s government assistance programs, only half (54 percent) participate.
How to do it
The Financial Student Life Survey included 62,000 students from 142 colleges and universities in 25 states. Of those who responded, 1,008 students identified themselves as having experience caring for children under the age of 13.
Recommendations: Researchers outline four recommendations to help pre-teens succeed academically and personally in college and beyond.
- Select the compass coordinates. A full-time, funded and trained liaison position can provide complementary support and guidance to students. Texas colleges and universities are required to have at least one university representative serve as a foster care coordinator, and Texas State University is home to Foster Care Alumni Support, which provides students with experience in the foster care program with peer support and connections. .
- Create lines of communication to gain awareness. Many students are unaware of the full range of offerings available to them at their institution, so raising awareness among campus stakeholders about the unique challenges facing foster youth and the programs available can help connect them to services. Guidance from knowledgeable people, individualized attention and consistent reminders can help former foster youth become more aware of available funding sources, according to an August report by the Urban Institute.
- Build free foundations. Youth who have been in foster care can benefit from trauma counseling, tutoring, peer counseling and dedicated support centers. The California State University program offers Guardian Scholars, which provide students with year-round campus housing, priority enrollment, coaching, learning spaces and community activities that enhance their success.
- Provide housing and food assistance. College leaders should provide housing vacancies for students with a history of foster care and provide financial assistance for food to reduce basic needs insecurity. This financial aid should also be easy to access, as bureaucratic challenges can limit the number of students who benefit from the aid.
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