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Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development

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Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Development

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Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development consists of eight stages, each stage coinciding with a “psychosocial crisis” that defines an individual’s identity: “(1) trust versus mistrust; (2) autonomy versus shame and doubt; (3) initiative versus guilt; (4) industry versus inferiority; (5) identity versus role confusion; (6) intimacy versus isolation; (7) generativity versus stagnation; and (8) ego integrity versus despair” (Zhang, 2015). An individual must overcome new challenges at each stage in order to successfully advance to the next one; failure to do so may result in having to face them again later in life (Zhang, 2015).

In order to “successfully achieve a sense of personal identity”, an individual must have developed a view of the self that includes “recognition of one’s capabilities and limitations” and answered the big question of “Who am I?”, which encompasses their “past experiences, accepting one’s realistic self-definition, and manifesting a future orientation” (Kools, 1997). Children who were living in long term foster care were found to suffer from “impaired identity development”, including a devalued sense of self, stigmatized self-identity, and inability to function independently and productively in social settings (Kools, 1997).

Trust, the first stage experienced during infancy, sets the precedence for the child’s development. Mistrust as a result of chronic negligence, abuse, and “unsatisfactory physical and psychological experiences” can lead to “fearful apprehension of future situations” and other “physical, emotional, and social consequences”, otherwise known as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) (Ocasio & Knight, 2003). Children in foster care are highly susceptible to developing RAD, since their past experiences are intertwined with the development of the self and have a huge impact on how children perceive themselves. Emotional and physical trauma, stigmatization, abandonment, isolation, and mistrust are all potential factors that can negatively inform a foster child’s identity development. The internalization of these factors thus impact the “achievement of subsequent developmental milestones” (Kools, 1997).

Research suggests that the “reduction of devaluation of the foster child” and “promotion of normative identity development” is necessary for caregivers of foster children, who can be supported through programs and interventions that focus on restorative rather than disciplinary strategies and fight stigmatizations by explicitly challenging the biases regarding foster children (Kools, 1997). Preserving the biological family unit through providing a structural support system may be an alternate solution to separating children who have already developed secure bonds with their caregivers (Ocasio & Knight, 2003). Developing a “kinship network” that consists of forming positive relationships with professionals and other members of the community, including peers, teachers, and potentially the biological family, would also be transformative for the child (Kools, 1997; Ocasio & Knight, 2003).

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From the American Psychological Association in 2019:

•  The opioid epidemic in the U.S. has resulted in a substantially larger number of children sent to foster care.

•  The number of children in foster care grew by 11.6% in the U.S. in 2012, or the year when the number of children in foster care began to tick up after a 10-year decline.

•  60% of children were younger than 5 when they were placed in foster care in 2017 because of their parents' drug use. That figure was 40% in 2000.

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We did not find previously published research on the connections between the theories listed below and foster care students' education journeys but we surmise that they are related, in addition to attachment theory and Erikson's psychosocial theory of development.

1.  Ecological Systems Theory

•  Developed by psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner, the Ecological Systems Theory posits that a child is centered and/or affected by a number of environments that impacts development and behavior (Sincero, 2012).

•  The theory has five environmental systems, as explained by Sincero:

- The microsystem, which is made up of people who are in constant and immediate contact with a child. These people can include parents or guardians, friends, teachers, and neighbors.

- The mesosystem, which encompasses the nature of the relationships in the microsystem.

- The exosystem, or the system in which societal forces affect a child but the child is not a direct participant. An example is if a caregiver performs well at work and receives a promotion and bonus, their happiness may translate to extra satisfaction with their family, as well as greater financial security.

- The macrosystem, which encompasses a child's cultures. This can range from their race and ethnicity to socioeconomic status and religion.

- The chronosystem, or the broadest environment which affects a child. The chronosystem "includes the transitions and shifts in one's lifespan ... One classic example of this is how divorce, as a major life transition, may affect not only the couple's relationship but also their children's behavior" (2012).

How does this theory relate to foster care?

A child in foster care is likely to experience constant shifts in their ecological model, particularly if they are moved repeatedly from one foster home to another as well as different schools. As a result, their microsystem may change to include and disconnect from different caregivers, friends, teachers, neighbors, and caseworkers. Foster care has ripple effects through the rest of the child's ecological model starting from their most immediate circle (the microsystem). Expanding out from the microsystem, if relationships between individuals in the mesosystem are terse or absent, or, on the flip side, supportive, that negatively or positively affects the child. Child welfare and other governmental agencies are also inexplicably part of the child's broader ecological model, which affects the child's development and behavior toward themselves and others. At the broadest environment, or the chronosystem, the child's history of being removed from their original home (or later reunited) shapes how the child views and navigates the world.

2.  Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

Similar to Attachment Theory, Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory focuses on relationships. Vygotsky, however, argues that people develop cognitive abilities through their cultural and social environment, and through interactions with a ‘more knowledgeable other’. For example, parents and teachers can be considered More Knowledgeable Others because they have more experience and skills, and can scaffold children. It is likely that foster care students have fewer More Knowledgeable Others because of the frequent transitions and new environments they are in. Although there is little research connecting Sociocultural Theory and foster care students, it is likely that according to Vygotsky, foster care students have a more difficult time developing cognitive abilities because of their lack of relationships with caring adults. It is important for teachers to understand this because it can explain the differences of cognitive abilities between students, and because teachers need to build strong relationships with foster care students and scaffold them.

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Michelle Voorhees, an inmate at the Topeka Correctional Facility in Topeka, Kansas, was placed into foster care in the 1990s, when she was 5. Authorities had decided her mother, who was single, 21, pregnant, and caring for three children, was not a suitable caretaker.

Michelle: “I was placed in 11 different state placements by the time I was 17. I had two children during this time, developed a drug addiction, and [was] sex trafficked. I spent a lot of my time in custody as a runaway. I did not graduate high school. I dropped out at 16 and got my GED. I am not sure if I aged out in the traditional sense. ... The state just stopped dealing with me at some point.”

Michelle was convicted of aggravated arson, aggravated burglary, and second-degree murder in 2014, when she was 22, according to KOAM News. Prosecutors said that a year prior, Michelle and a man had gone to the house of a woman who had stolen Michelle's belongings. There, the man placed a pipe bomb on a mattress. The pipe bomb did not explode, but the house caught on fire and killed the victim. Michelle received a prison sentence shy of 24 years, which means that the earliest she could be released is 2033. The man was sentenced to life with a chance of parole.

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There are more than half a million children in foster care today and they face numerous hardships both at home and at school. The theories related to the development of young children in foster care are attachment theory, ecological systems theory, sociocultural theory, and psychosocial theory. The trauma they experience can often lead to behavioral issues, learning delays, expulsion, incarceration, and low levels of trust and confidence. Despite their tumultuous circumstances, schools and teachers can fill in as resources for support and guidance through a "kinship network". Implementing a trauma-informed approach is recommended for teachers to practice compassion and build secure, positive relationships when supporting students in foster care.

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Scenario #1:

A 7-year-old student in second grade has been in four foster homes since she was two. She has frustrated her teacher for months because of her frequent outbursts and apparent inability to sit quietly and complete her work in favor of talking, doodling, or walking around the classroom. She wants to make friends but has difficulty reading social cues, which her peers find off-putting. This prompts her to becomes combative with her peers on a regular basis and she has subsequently been alienated by her classmates. She becomes upset by this and starts to lash out at her teacher. Her teacher does not know the student has been in foster care and assumes she is acting out just for the sake of acting out. She considers referring the student to receive an IEP based on her mistaken belief that the student's misbehavior is indicative of a learning disability.

Potential Response:

The teacher contacts the student's caretaker to voice her concerns and frames the conversation as: The student is clearly enthusiastic but has difficulty sitting quietly, completing her work, and respecting her classmates. However, she is clearly social and creative and has the potential to channel her personality to be an excellent member of the classroom community. In this conversation with the caretaker, the teacher is surprised to learn that the student is in foster care but uses that knowledge to see this student in a new, more compassionate light and also research best practices for teaching and caring for students in foster care.

How would you respond?

Scenario #2:

A 5-year-old student in kindergarten has alternated between living in a foster home and his biological parents for two years. He is very shy, reserved, and easily overstimulated at school, which leads him to cry and "shut down," especially when he is with his peers. However, he has become very attached to his teacher and classroom aide and clamors for their attention every day to the point that both the teacher and classroom aide feel that they are unable to give equal attention to the rest of their students. The teacher and classroom aide know the student is in foster care but have no experience with teaching children who do not come from "typical" stable homes with a mother and father and therefore feel unsure how to work with this student.

Potential Response:

The teacher and classroom aide privately meet with the student to voice their appreciation that the student enjoys being in their classroom, but that they are unable to give other students equal amounts of attention given the current situation. They encourage the student to show his appreciation for the teacher and classroom aide in other ways, such as writing letters or drawing pictures. The teacher and classroom aide also contact the student's caregivers about his extreme attachment and suggest ideas for greater attention at home, such as asking the student about his day, going on a short walk in the neighborhood together every evening, or reading a daily bedtime story.

How would you respond?

Scenario #3:

A 9-year-old fourth grade student lived with her grandmother in a stable and loving home until recently, when the grandmother passed away. The student had no other relatives who were able to care for her and she thus entered the foster care system. She is still grieving the loss of her grandmother when her teacher assigns students a project that tasks them with drawing a picture of their room, their favorite toys, and their family. In the last couple of weeks, the student has begun to live in a home where she shares a small room with three younger foster children. Her foster parents are too busy with the other children and the student often feels sad and lonely. The assignment makes her feel even more lonely and she does not complete it, which annoys her teacher and makes her think the student is lazy. The teacher knows the student is in foster care but still assumes she will be able to draw a happy picture of her room, toys, and family. The student becomes increasingly frustrated with her teacher over the next several months and begins to skip school.

Potential Response:

The teacher, who knows she has a tense relationship with the student, leaves a note on the student's desk requesting that they talk when the student feels calm. Later during the day, the teacher says she is not angry or that the student is in trouble, but asks how the student is feeling and why she has been absent many times. The student responds that she doesn't like school and finds her teacher and classmates irritating. With further questioning, the teacher finds out that the student is unhappy at her foster home and thus skips school when she can so she can be alone. The teacher begins to feel remorse for how she thought of the student and encourages her to stop by her classroom before or after school or during lunch anytime so they can talk about how things are going. The teacher also learns during the conversation that the student has limited access to a computer that makes it more difficult for her to complete homework, so the teacher gives the student extra computer time before or after school as well as extra time to complete her assignments.

How would you respond?

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•  Some of the biggest impacts of being a student in foster care are directly related to attachment theory. “Looking at the child’s behaviour from an attachment viewpoint can help foster caregivers find alternative explanations, make sense of difficult situations, have empathy with the child, and develop parenting strategies that can reduce a child’s distress” (Centre for Parenting & Research Research, Funding & Business Analysis Division, 2006).

•  Attachment theory provides key insight on how a child's early relationships directly affect their development and capacity to form later relationships. Having a secure attachment is the foundation for self-efficacy, tolerance and empathy, and helps children learn inner confidence to know that we can tolerate and manage anxiety, ask for help, and trust that eventually all will be well (Berardi & Morton, 2017). Children who have secure attachments with their caregivers also have a higher probability of adapting to new situations and changes in social relationships than children with insecure attachments (Tucker & MacKenzie, 2014).

•  Attachment theory can help explain some of the challenging behaviors seen in students in foster care. Foster care students experience trauma due to the loss of their primary caregivers  and have difficulties with self-regulation (acting out or withdrawing), academic functioning, and physical illnesses; they are also suspended and expelled at higher rates, which result in learning delays, educational gaps, and increased dropout rates (Healey & Fisher, 2011).

•  Children with traumatic backgrounds also tend to have lower IQs and struggle with reading, comprehension, and writing compared to children in foster care for reasons other than child neglect (Healey & Fisher, 2011). A teacher, however, can step into the role as one of many caregivers that a child forms an attachment with. A positive school environment can potentially be a powerful counterweight to the abuse, neglect, and separation students in foster care experience (Centre for Parenting & Research Research, Funding & Business Analysis Division, 2006).

•  As available and sensitive caregivers, teachers can help children reconstruct their perception of relationships by forming positive attachments. Understanding how trauma as a result of being in the foster care system affects the development of young students can help teachers understand the needs and challenges of a student in the system and build secure, productive relationships with them.

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Given that insecure attachments contribute to lower levels of confidence and a poorer self-image, forming positive relationships with students in foster care as it can help them build a secure attachment (Tucker & MacKenzie, 2012).

Teachers can foster positive relationships by using the 2x10 method. The 2x10 relationship building intervention is a method where a teacher selects a particular student (in this case, a student in foster care) and set a goal to engage in a 2-minute conversation with that student for 10 consecutive school days. The point of the conversation is for the student to share non-academic things with a caring adult (Alber, 2019).

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Teachers can create a classroom environment where every student feels safe, cared for, and heard. For example, students should have a space where they can emotionally self regulate, such as a "cozy corner."

Teachers should be aware of their language by using inclusive language and creating inclusive activities. Activities like creating a family tree, or doing Mother's Day projects can feel isolating to students in foster care. In addition, use words like "caregiver" or "guardian" instead of "parents" or "mom/dad" (Alber, 2019).

If a teacher has a student in foster care in their classroom, they must always maintain confidentiality. For example, teachers should never publicly label the student as being in foster care, or blatantly ask about them personal questions.

Before entering the school year, teacher should identify and correct stereotypes about students in foster care (e.g. do not view them as having deficits; instead, focus on their assets).

Teachers can teach their students self-regulation strategies, such as deep breathing, meditation, and naming emotions.

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1. Alber, R. (2019, August 20). Supporting students living in foster care. https://www.edutopia.org/article/supporting-students-living-foster-care

2. American Psychological Society. (2019, November 1).  More kids in foster care. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/11/numbers-foster-care

3.  Berardi, A., Morton, B. M. (2017). Maximizing academic success for foster care students: A trauma-informed approach. The Journal of At-Risk Issues, 20(1), 10-16.

4. Bonneau, L. (2009). School experiences of foster children as seen through the eyes of teachers [Masters thesis, Smith College]. Smith ScholarWorks.

5. Centre for Parenting & Research Research, Funding & Business Analysis Division. (2006, July). The importance of attachment in the lives of children: Key messages from research. https://earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au/files/research_attachment.pdf.

6. Healey, C.V., Fisher, P.A. (2011). Young children in foster care and the development of favorable outcomes. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(10), 1822-1830.

7. Kansas City Star. (2020, January 3). Taken into foster care, through the eyes of a child [Video]. Youtube.

8. Kools, S. M. (1997). Adolescent identity development in Foster Care. Family Relations, 46(3), 263. https://doi.org/10.2307/585124

9. Lopez, K. (2018, November). The trauma of being black in foster care. [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/kizzy_lopez_the_trauma_of_being_black_in_foster_care

10. Ocasio, J., Knight, J. (2003). Rediscovery of Trust: Erikson, Kaplan, and the Myth of Foster Care. U.S. Department of Education Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), 3–13. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED475662.pdf.

11. Shilhavy, B. (2019, December 28). 1 of 4 American Inmates Product of the Foster Care System According to Kansas City Star Investigation. Health Impact News. https://www.thiswestisourwest.com/index.cfm/save-our-children/1-of-4-american-inmates-product-of-the-foster-care-system-according-to-kansas-city-star-investigation/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?

12. Sincero, S. M. (2012). The ecological systems theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner. The Ecological Systems Theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner. https://explorable.com/ecological-systems-theory.

13. Steenbakkers, A., Ellingsen, I.T., van der Steen, S., Grietens, H. (2018). Psychosocial needs of children in foster care and the impact of sexual abuse. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(4), 1324-1335.

14. Treehouse. (2018). Guide to supporting students in foster care: 2nd edition. https://www.treehouseforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/treehouse2017final2ndedinteractive.pdf

15. Trivedi, S. (2019). The harm of child removal. New York University Review of Law & Social Change, 43, 523-580.

16. Tucker, D.J., Mackenzie, M.J. (2012). Attachment theory and change processes in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(11), 2208-2219.

17. U.S. Department of Education. (2016, June 27). Students in foster care. https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/foster-care/index.html

18. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020, June 23). The AFCARS report: Preliminary estimates of fiscal year 2019- No. 27. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/afcarsreport27.pdf

19. Wilson, C. (2014, February 27). Two sentenced in 2013 death of a Chanute woman. KOAM News Now.com. https://www.koamnewsnow.com/two-sentenced-in-2013-death-of-a-chanute-woman/

20. Windsor, J., Benigno, J.P., Wing, C.A., Carroll, P.J., Koga, S.F., Nelson III, C.A., Fox, N.A., Zeanah, C.H. (2011). Effect of Foster Care on Young Children’s Language Learning. Child Development. 82(4), 1040-1046. https://srcd-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy.library.upenn.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01604.x

21. Zetlin, A.G. & Weinberg, L.A. (2004). Understanding the plight of foster youth and improving their educational opportunities. Child Abuse and Neglect, 28, 917-923.

22. Zhang, L.-fang. (2015). Erikson's theory of Psychosocial Development. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 7(2), 938–946. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-097086-8.23200-5

** These articles — this one and this one — are behind paywalls and we couldn't get institutional access to them.

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The opioid epidemic has caused an increase in youth in foster care.

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1. How can educators better teach students who struggle with inhibitory control and self-regulation?

2. What are best practices for educators developing strong and productive relationships with foster parents?

3. What are misconceptions about foster children, foster parents, and foster homes?

4. What extra supports can schools realistically provide to care for children who are in foster care?

5. What can educators or institutions do to make sure academic records for foster children are comprehensive and transferrable to other schools?

6. How do educators help students in foster care develop trusting and meaningful relationships?

7. How can educators best advocate for students in foster care?

8. How can educators work with government child-care agencies to provide better interventions for children struggling in the foster care system?

9. How can educators step away from employing deficit thinking toward children in foster care?

10. What community organizations and resources can help students in foster care?

11. Can schools develop trauma-informed strategies to help educators better serve students who do not come from stable home lives?

12. Can restorative justice play a role in foster care?

13. How can educators mediate any social tensions that arise in their classroom between a foster student who struggles with social interaction and their peer?

14. How can educators, a community, or an institution bring about better, consistent, and substantive mental health services to children in foster care?

15. How can we shift the discussion from the practice of separating children from their families to the practice of providing families with economic assistance so families can stay together?

16. How can institutions provide a social and financial safety net for foster children when they age out of the system?

17. Should there be more awareness about what happens to a child when they age out of the system having had a traumatic experience in the foster care system?

18. How can policymakers and/or child service agencies address the issue that the majority of children in the foster care system are mostly children of color, yet the majority of children adopted out of the system are white?

19. What supports are there for foster children when they turn 18?

20. Should foster children be allowed to stay in the system past 18?

21. What, if any, are the effects of foster care on the children of people who were in foster care?

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The Field Center: Resource library in Philadelphia that focuses on making higher education more accessible for youth leaving the foster care system.

CAP4Kids: The Children's Advocacy Project that provides reliable, up-to-date information about resources in the Philadelphia area for children and families.

How We Are Failing the City's Foster Children.

C.B. Community School: A Philly private high school for youth in the child welfare system.

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The literature suggests that a trauma-informed approach is the best way to support students in foster care (Berardi & Morton, 2017). A trauma-informed approach takes into account a student’s adverse childhood experiences and recognizes that challenging behaviors are a product of those negative experiences. When teachers use this lens, they understand that a child’s defiance and challenging behavior is a reaction to the environment congruent with the nature of sustained loss and trauma.

Students in foster care in particular can have relation-based trauma that disrupts their ongoing need for safe and nurturing attachment. This disruption can cause physical, psychological, and social issues (Berardi & Morton, 2017). Instead of labeling and punishing a child, teachers need to reassure them that they are understood, valued, and are now safe. Repeated reassurance allows students to associate school as a secure base, and thus promotes growth and development.

It is important to note that this approach works best when it is school-wide. To implement this approach, schools should partner with trauma-informed advocacy groups.

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Given how detrimental suspensions and expulsions are to children in foster care, schools should use non-exclusionary practices and supportive approaches to discipline, such as restorative justice.

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What Teachers Should Know About Foster Children Who May Have Developmental Differences, & Why It Matters

•  Students in foster care who develop insecure attachments often show more aggressive and angry behavior (Cohn, 1990; Stroufe, 1983; Stroufe, 1988). Children with secure attachment tend to develop into more competent and well-adjusted adults.

•  "Maltreated foster children often display difficulties in a number of cognitive and psychosocial domains (Leslie et. al., 2000; Pears and Fisher, 2005), which might impinge upon success in school." (Pears, Fisher, Bruce, Kim, Yoerger, 2010).

•  Foster children who have been shuffled among many homes may also show difficulty with inhibitory control (Lewis, Dozier, Ackerman, and Sepulveda, 2007), or the ability to resist impulsive responses in lieu of attention and reason.

• Children in foster care may exhibit more difficulty with fostering social relationships (Fernandez 2008) as well as with social-emotional functioning (Goemans et. al 2016; Oswald et. al 2010).

•  The Bucharest Early Intervention Project in Bucharest, Romania, found that when children were placed in foster care contributed significantly to their development or lack thereof (Windsor et al): "Children placed in foster care by 24 months showed very improved language outcomes at 30 and 42 months. Children placed later had strikingly severe expressive and receptive delays, equal to those of children in institutional care."

Why does it matter? Teachers who are unaware of the effects of foster care may be more likely to view students in foster care with a more critical and less compassionate eye. Context helps re-situate a child whom a teacher views as "difficult" into a child who has been presented with difficult life circumstances and thus needs extra support.

What teachers should know to help students in foster care, and why it matters:

•  Children in foster care need relationships with adults that are committed to "safety, positive regard, and commitment" (Clausen et al. 2012;  Fernandez 2008; Mason 2008; Quest et al. 2012). Teachers who work with children in foster care need to particularly value and emphasize this.

•  A positive relationship between a teacher and a child because they can "serve as an ameliorative function; they can protect against poor school performance associated with unsupportive home environments" (Hamre and Pianta, 2001).

•  Teachers who are ignorant of the circumstances in which their foster students live in that they do not give encouragement (Emerson and Lovitt, 2003), may lead to the students feeling increasingly more isolated and shut off from their peers.

Why does it matter? Forging relationships and secure attachments, or the practice of providing safety, security, joy, and compassion while working to reduce the distress, is critical for bringing some stability to the life of a foster child.

What context about foster care and foster students teachers should know to better understand the children they teach, and why it matters:

•  "[P]reschool-aged maltreated foster children had experienced an average of 3.47 transitions" (Pears and Fisher, 2005).

•  The academic records of foster children may be spotty when they are moved repeatedly from home to home. Academic records for 53% of students were not comprehensive, according to a study (Parrish et. al, 2001).

•  When academic records are spotty, consequences can result in educational gaps. "This has dire consequences for all foster children, especially those with special needs as their special education services, such as IEPs (Individualized Education Plan), are often neglected or not implemented until months later" (Zetlin and Weinberg, 2004).

•  Foster parents may not be involved with their foster child's academic performance if the child is only in their care for a short time. "In 2005, half of all children exiting foster care had been in their placements between 1 and 11 months" (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2007).

•  Numbers show how uninvolved foster parents can be: 65% of high school students said their caretakers had not gone to a parent-teacher conference, 73% said their caretakers had not visited their class, and 70% did not volunteer at school (Blome, 1997).

•  Foster children are recorded to have higher rates of being absent or disciplined and more than half are held back in school for at least one year (Zetlin and Weinberg, 2004).

•  Students in foster care also score lower in reading and math standardized testing than their peers who are not in foster care (Zetlin and Weinberg).

•  Schools can also be rife with biases regarding race, ethnicity, class, gender, and home environment (Anderson & Seita, 2006), and these biases can manifest in prejudices.

• A child's support network (family, friends, teachers, neighbors) may have constantly been in flux that affects how they treat and respond to themselves and others.

Why does it matter? The effects of foster care can present in many different ways: resilience, insecure or secure attachments, low academic performance, and so on. By examining foster care through a lens that examines how it fits into a larger institutional system, and how that successively impacts each child, teachers can be better suited to accommodate the needs of their students and treat them with compassion, empathy, and flexibility.

In conclusion, a surmisal:

A teacher who is aware of negative effects of foster care on students, such as diminished academic and social-emotional competence, is more capable of helping those students than those who remain ignorant of the effects. Foster care can be a traumatic and disruptive experience that affects every part of a child's life, including school, and a child who has moved through several foster homes may display great difficulty with forging meaningful relationships as a result of distrust. This may present in school as thoughtless or disruptive behavior, but is instead a defense mechanism. Teachers need to be aware of how the traumas of foster care may appear in a school setting and be cognizant of interpreting, responding to, and interacting with children who have had an unstable home life history.

Teachers who work with children in foster must thus prioritize strong, healthy, and productive relationships and give them a source of consistency that the child may not have experienced abundantly. They should strive to not regard the child through a deficit orientation and connect with the child's caretakers to weave their abilities and resources with that of the teacher's and the school's.

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Collaborate With Community-Based Agencies 

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Collaborate With Community-Based Agencies 

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Schools must institutionalize policies that benefit foster care students and education teachers and staff. To do this, schools should collaborate with local mental health offices, child welfare agencies and other community experts to gather resources, prevention strategies and intervention services (Treehouse, 2018).

For example, schools could collaborate with the county's child welfare agency and share a database, which would allow both parties to monitor a student's attendance, records, and progress.

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Taken Into Foster Care, Through the Eyes of a Child 

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Taken Into Foster Care, Through the Eyes of a Child 

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Taken into foster care, through the eyes of a child

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In 2019, 672,594 children were in the foster care system in the United States, with the average age being 7.7 years old, and over 122,000 children waiting to be adopted (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019). About one third of children entering foster care were children of color (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019).

Students in foster care are about 3x more likely than other students to be disciplined in school and those who move through several different home placements are 5-10x more likely than other students to become involved with the juvenile justice system (Treehouse, 2018). They are also more likely to have academic and behavioral issues in school, be placed in special education, drop out before finishing high school, become incarcerated, and/or sexually assaulted (Zetlin & Weinberg, 2004).

Foster children who are mistreated can struggle with cognitive functioning, which negatively affects academic performance and morale (Leslie et al., 2000; Pears & Fisher, 2005). For most students to be successful early on in school, it's critical that they achieve both academic and social-emotional competence (Blair, 2002; Peth-Pierce, 2000; Raver, 2002), but foster children who are mistreated may face extra barriers in developing such competence.

Kids often miss school during placement moves, lose school credit due to mid-semester moves, and have incomplete school records due to missing transcripts, tests, and attendance (Zetlin & Weinberg, 2004).

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1. Children's Rights Organization

2. Seattle's Treehouse Tutoring Program

3. Supporting Students Living in Foster Care

4. ACE's

5. Trauma- Informed Teaching Strategies

6. The Importance of Attachment in the Lives of Foster Children

7. Restorative Justice

8. Bringing Mindfulness into the Classroom

9. Department of Education

10. Cincinnati’s Beech Acres Education Advocacy Center

11. The Kansas City Star's 6-Part "Throwaway Kids" Investigative Reporting Series