When youth are placed in alternative care arrangements, one of the biggest challenges they face is maintaining academic success. These youth often have to adjust to new environments, schools, and caregivers, which can make it difficult to stay on track with their education. Additionally, they may have experienced trauma or neglect, which can impact their academic performance. However, with the right support from schools and caregivers, youth in alternative care arrangements can succeed academically. In this article, we will explore the challenges faced by youth in alternative care arrangements when it comes to education and provide strategies for schools and caregivers to support academic success.

Challenges Faced by Youth in Alternative Care Arrangements

There are several challenges that youth in alternative care arrangements face when it comes to education. These challenges include:

  • School Changes: Youth in alternative care arrangements often have to change schools, which can disrupt their academic progress. They may have to adjust to new teachers, classmates, and curriculum, which can be overwhelming.
  • Lack of Stability: Youth in alternative care arrangements may lack stability in their lives, which can make it difficult to focus on their education. They may have to move from one placement to another, which can disrupt their schooling.
  • Trauma: Many youth in alternative care arrangements have experienced trauma, which can impact their ability to learn. Trauma can affect their cognitive functioning, attention span, and memory, which can make it difficult to concentrate in class.
  • Poor Academic Performance: Youth in alternative care arrangements may have experienced neglect or abuse, which can impact their academic performance. They may struggle with basic skills, such as reading and writing, which can make it difficult to keep up with their peers.

Strategies for Schools and Caregivers

Despite these challenges, there are several strategies that schools and caregivers can use to support academic success for youth in alternative care arrangements. These strategies include:

  • Create Stability: One of the most important things that caregivers and schools can do is create a stable environment for youth. This can include providing a consistent routine, setting clear expectations, and ensuring that the youth has a safe and comfortable place to study.
  • Advocate for Educational Support: Caregivers and schools can work together to ensure that youth in alternative care arrangements receive the educational support they need. This can include advocating for additional tutoring, special education services, or counselling services.
  • Maintain Communication: Caregivers and schools should maintain open communication to ensure that the youth’s academic progress is being monitored. They should work together to identify areas where the youth needs additional support and develop a plan to address those needs.
  • Foster a Positive Learning Environment: Caregivers and schools can work together to create a positive learning environment for youth. This can include providing praise and positive reinforcement for good academic performance, celebrating successes, and creating a culture of learning.
  • Support Transitions: Caregivers and schools can support youth during transitions by providing additional support during the initial adjustment period. This can include assigning a mentor, providing additional academic support, and developing a plan for transitioning the youth to a new school.

 

Youth in alternative care arrangements face unique challenges when it comes to education, but with the right support from schools and caregivers, they can succeed academically. By creating a stable environment, advocating for educational support, maintaining communication, fostering a positive learning environment, and supporting transitions, schools and caregivers can help youth in alternative care arrangements reach their full potential. By supporting their academic success, we can help these youth overcome the obstacles they face and achieve their goals.