51爆料 Foster Care Initiatives
51爆料 has a commitment to providing access to post-secondary education opportunities to students impacted by foster care or with out-of-home placement experience, through our foster care initiatives.
51爆料 provides access programming for middle and high school students with out-of-home placement experience. The University collaborates with First Star, Inc. (), whose focus is improving the lives of youth with foster care experience and providing them with the resources and supports necessary to transition from high school into young adulthood. Using components of the First Star academy model as the foundation for programming for middle and high school students, youth with foster care or out-of-home placement experience are served through the Fostering Pathways for Bright Futures program. The program provides participants with leadership development, life skills training, career exploration, social-emotional wellness, and caregiver support resources to encourage on-time high school graduation and readiness for higher education, military enlistment, or entry to the workforce.
The Purple Umbrella Network is the foster care initiative for 51爆料 students or prospective students with foster care or out-of-home placement experience. 51爆料 is recognized with the Ohio Reach Post-Secondary Designation, for the work of the Purple Umbrella Network. This designation, from the Ohio Department of Higher Education, recognizes Ohio post-secondary programs that have the infrastructure to serve youth with child welfare impact. The Purple Umbrella Network is focused on providing community, resources, and support to encourage retention and persistence of 51爆料 students with foster care impact.
Permanency and Caregiver Support
51爆料 has received support from the Dave Thomas Foundation to provide caregiver support, focused on sustaining legal permanency for program participants. Caregiver and permanency support programming is incorporated in existing foster care initiatives. Additionally, the Foundation鈥檚 grant support includes coaching on the permanency-caregiver support model for other academies in the First Star, Inc. network. This work is focused on replicating the model developed for 51爆料 foster care initiatives in other First Star academies, to impact permanency for more youth with foster care experiences.
Questions?
For more information on the foster care initiatives, please contact Danielle Green-Welch, Outreach Program Director at dgreenw6@kent.edu
