**This Guide is being updated! Come back for additional resources!

Child Welfare Guide for Educators Supporting Students with Experience in Foster Care

Our Child Welfare Guide for Educators is an excellent resource for understanding how the child welfare system works and identifying practical ways schools and classrooms can encourage and support students with experience in foster care on their educational journey. 

Create a Stable & Safe Environment

• Establish Routines: Predictable classroom routines offer stability, counteracting chaos in their lives.
• Be Private & Respectful: Don't share a student's foster care status; respect their privacy and confidentiality.
• Be Patient & Understanding: Allow extra grace, as they may have experienced trauma and transitions.
• Offer Choices: Give choices in seating or task completion to provide a sense of control.

Adapt Academics & Structure

• Be Flexible: Adjust homework, due dates, or provide alternative assessments to accommodate therapy or visitation schedules.
• Close Academic Gaps: Address learning gaps from school changes by understanding their educational history.
• Modify Family Assignments: Be sensitive to projects like family trees or "my baby picture" assignments; offer alternatives or modifications.

Build Relationships & Social Skills

• Connect with Caregivers: Build strong relationships with foster parents/kinship caregivers to understand the child's needs and share successes.
• Foster Peer Connections: Encourage positive peer interactions and participation in clubs/sports to build social skills.
• Teach Self-Regulation: Introduce deep breathing or mindfulness to help with emotional regulation.

Be an Advocate

• Know Their Advocates: Connect with CASA or case workers to understand the student's history and needs.
• Promote Resources: Connect them to mentors, scholarships, or post-secondary support programs when they are older.
• Normalize Foster Care: Incorporate diverse family structures in classroom materials and discussions to build belonging.