Valuing Educational and Cultural Needs

— A FOSTER PARENT’S GUIDE —

How to Promote Success in Your Child’s Education

Research has shown that youth in care are at a higher risk for poor educational outcomes. This means that if your child is of school age, it is critical to commit yourself to your child’s educational success. Incorporating daily strategies that encourage school success can seem like a challenge, but these four actions break it down for all parents.

Create a schedule
Creating an at-home schedule or afterschool routine for your child seems simple, but it can be the foundation block for school and time management. Setting aside a specific time each day to complete homework can be the start of developing lifelong positive habits.

Talk positively about school and learning
When asking them about their day, relay your message in a positive tone. Ask them questions like, “What was the best thing that happened to you today?” or, “What’s something you learned today that you’d like to know more about?” These open and honest conversations create a safe environment to talk about their feelings and feel good about their accomplishments.

Work with them on challenging school assignments
If your child struggles with homework, just being there for them and showing you care about their education can help them succeed. Even helping them complete parts if they need extra support is not wrong. Of course, do not do the homework for them, but guiding them in the right direction can give them the motivation they need.

Communicate with school staff
If your child is still having difficulty after trying some of these strategies, the next best step is to talk with the school staff. See if they have any tips or tricks that help your child in the classroom, and if they do, try incorporating them at home.

How to Value Diversity and Support Your Child’s Cultural Needs

We hear a lot about “cultural competency,” but being well versed on multiple cultures different than our own is not always possible. As a parent, it is more important to be culturally receptive or have cultural humility — a respectful openness to your child’s cultural background and self-reflection on how your own background shapes your view of things. Being receptive to your child’s cultural identity can help them feel comfortable, understood, and appreciated. When you do not come from a similar cultural background as your child, it is essential to willingly engage them in activities, education, and events to bolster their cultural identity.

Here are some ways you can value diversity and support your child’s cultural needs:

• Attend cultural events in your area: These can include festivals, parades, museum events, and more.
• Have books at home that share the same cultural identity as your child: Make sure they feel seen and represented in the literature they read.
• Have open and honest conversations with your child about their culture: Ask what their culture means to them and how they would like it to be represented in your home life.
• Incorporate culture into your cooking: Including food from your child’s culture and introducing other ethnic foods can promote your child’s understanding of both their own and different cultures.
• Listen to songs, watch movies, or have play materials from their culture: These are fun ways to ensure your child feels connected to their cultural background. Add songs and media from different cultures to promote learning and diversity.
• If they are old enough, discuss current events happening around the world: This can help their cultural understanding throughout the globe and knowledge of things they may not have experienced.

REFERENCES

Buehler, Cheryl & Rhodes, Kathryn & Orme, John & Cuddeback, Gary. (2006). “The potential for successful family foster care: Conceptualizing competency domains for foster parents.” Child Welfare, 85, 523-58.

1, 2, 3, & 4. (2006). The Potential for Successful Family Foster Care: Conceptualizing Competency Domains for Foster Parents. Child Welfare, 85(3), 523–558. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/preparing_youth.pdf

https://www.ca-ilg.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ourchildrenactionguide22page.pdf?1481647573

Coakley, T.M., Cuddeback, G., Buehler, C., & Cox, M.E. (2006). “Kinship foster parents’ perceptions of factors that promote or inhibit successful fostering.” Children and Youth Services Review, 29, 92-109.

Franck, K. (2001). “The characteristics of kinship and nonkinship care children and their families of origin.” Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Tennessee.

Jacobvitz, D. (2002). “Promoting resiliency in children and youth living in low-income families.” Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Houston, TX.