Children with Disabilities in Foster Care: The Role of the School Social Worker in the Context of Special Education

Abstract

Lisa is a seven-year-old girl who just entered her third foster care placement this school year, with each placement resulting in her attending a different school. When her new foster care parents arrived to enroll her in school the day after receiving her into their home, they had very little information regarding her educational needs, but indicated to the school social worker, Ms. Greene, that Lisa takes medication for her attention disorder and used to get extra help in her old school. In an effort to promote academic success for Lisa, Ms. Greene initiated a team meeting to develop a service plan for her. Ms. Greene, in consultation with the foster care parents, invited Lisa's general education teacher, the first-grade special education teacher, foster care parents, a mental health provider, and foster care caseworker from the Department of Social Services. Not only have most children in foster care been traumatized by physical abuse or neglect, historically they have often encountered a wide variety of unhealthy social and familial conditions (Lewit, 1993). In addition, approximately 30 percent to 45 percent of children residing in foster care have disabilities and qualify for special education, creating unique barriers that can be attributed to lower grade point averages than those for youths in general education and special education only, fewer credits earned toward graduation than students in general education, and lower scores on state tests (Geenen & Powers, 2006).