Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 12 SPONSORED CONTENT PROVIDED BY TREEHOUSE Youth in foster care face a variety of challenges, including barriers to education. This can have devastating impacts on their futures. Research shows that these students fall behind their peers on every educational measure: attendance, grades, standardized test scores and graduation rates. “When youth do not graduate, they are exponentially more likely to experience poverty, unemployment, homelessness and incarceration,” says Dawn Rains, CEO of Treehouse, a nonprofit that provides youth in foster care with material, financial and academic support. To provide these students with the opportunities they deserve, an integrated, multifaceted approach is required — and a consistent support network is crucial. Access to a stable education is just the beginning The first step is ensuring foster students are enrolled in school and able to attend with the same consistency as their peers. Once access to a stable education is put in place, other support systems are necessary. An important part of the high school experience is the opportunity to participate in sports, band, student government, newspaper or whatever activity best matches the teen’s interests. Extracurriculars further education outside the classroom and are opportunities to connect with peers. The costs, however, can limit access for youth in foster care. Treehouse provides funding for these activities so that if students have hobbies they want to pursue or a student conference they’d like to attend, they have the resources to do so. “Research shows us that participating in extracurricular and school activities improves Integrated support improves outcomes for foster youth Treehouse envisions — and strives to create — a world where every child who has experienced foster care has the opportunities and support they need to pursue their dreams and launch successfully into adulthood. Learn more at www.treehouseforkids.org. attendance, grades and school engagement,” Rains says. “They are a catalyst for youth to discover who they are and what they love, and they provide the platform to develop relationships with peers and to connect with adult mentors.” In the same vein, these students often need assistance with basics like clothing and supplies. Students who are placed in foster care abruptly may only have limited time to gather their belongings and often aren’t able to keep their items with each move. At the Treehouse Store, students can acquire donated new and gently used clothes that are in style. “Many children and youth come in to foster care with nothing more than the clothing they are wearing,” Rains says. “We know that when kids have the clothing they need to feel good and to fit in, they are much more likely to go to school.” Getting a driver’s license is another barrier faced by teens in foster care. Driver’s ed and insurance are hefty expenses, but not being able to drive can prevent students from being able to get to school and work. Treehouse’s Driver’s Assistance program provides financial assistance to help teens achieve this same rite of passage as their peers. In addition to the practicalities of having a driver’s license, this step toward adulthood provides teens with a sense of confidence and independence, especially if they have been repeatedly told that they’re not trustworthy and a driver’s license simply isn’t in the cards for them. Maintaining networks Another major barrier faced by youth in foster care is that they’re often moved from home to home and school to school, making it all but impossible to maintain critical connections with teachers, friends and schools. Youth can face multiple changes of placement a year — and can experience 10 to 15 placements during their childhood. Treehouse recently expanded their services statewide so these teens aren’t left without support. When youth in foster care have support throughout high school and graduate with a plan for the future, rates of homelessness and incarceration decrease significantly. Statistics prove that integrated support systems are effective. Rains notes that statewide high school graduation rates for foster care students increased from 36.% in 2013 to 53.4% in 2022. This benefits students, and their communities. Donate today!
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