We know that educational attainment impacts lifetime earning potential. On average, the median income for a young adult without a High School Diploma will earn half of what their counterparts with a Bachelor’s Degree make. Your role in the life of a child in foster care is integral to encouraging and ensuring educational success as national statistics show that children in foster care are twice as likely to repeat a grade and have much higher dropout rates than students in the general population. The following resources should assist you in performing your role in monitoring foster youth’s educational progress and achieving their highest potential.
CFSA Fact Sheets and FAQs
These Fact Sheets and FAQs are meant to serve as guides for monitoring and ensuring a CFSA foster youth's educational progress.
Tips for Social Workers
- Child Care and Early Education Settings
o Childcare Voucher FAQ: Information about the OSSE child care voucher program, its eligibility requirements and how to apply.
o Childcare Subsidy FAQ: Information about CFSA's child care subsidy program, its eligibility requirements, how to apply, the subsidy rates, and what to do if there are problems with daycare payment.
o Childcare Referral Form: Information about the DC Child Care Subsidy Program Referral Form, which must be completed to request child care subsidies for children under protective services.
o Childcare Facility Change Request Form: Information about a facility change request form used by the DC Child Care Subsidy Program to request changes in child care placement for participating children.
o Guardianship Change Form: Information about a child's guardianship changes, new address, and placement reasons.
- School-Aged Youth
o School Enrollment Tipsheet: Instructions and information for social workers helping complete school enrollment on behalf of a child in foster care.
o Monitoring the Education of Children in Care: Tips for social workers and family support workers on how to monitor and ensure a child’s basic educational needs are met, including tips such as how to access supplies and school uniforms as necessary.
o School Stability and Education Continuity for CFSA Students: Tips and requirements regarding ensuring a child remains in a stable school setting and a decision-making guide for when school placements may need to change.
o School Transportation -- What Social Workers Need to Know: Tips and information on how to arrange school transportation.
o Improving Attendance and Positive School Engagement: Tips on how to monitor and engage a youth on attendance for social workers
Tips for Caregivers
- School-aged Youth
o Improving Attendance and Positive School Engagement for Caregivers: The role foster parents/caregivers play in attendance and tips for encouraging positive attendance.