Shared by Brandi Scales on behalf of PCSAO during the 2010 Ohio Reach Summit. The purpose of this event is to increase the number of foster care youth who enroll in and graduate from college.

1. 2nd Annual Ohio Reach Summit June 25, 2010 Brandi Scales, JD Public Children Services Association of Ohio

2. Malcolm X “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

4. One in four will be incarcerated within two years of leaving foster care.

5. Early pregnancy and lack of employment are much higher than with other youth. Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

6. Encourage Higher Education Only about 10 percent of students from foster care enroll in higher education -- with less than 2 percent earning bachelor's degrees. “Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world.” Malcolm X Maximize foster youth’s chances at success Increased earning potential Less reliance on state resources Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

7. Overview of Ohio’s Child Welfare System Composed of county-administered PCSAs. Main focus is to make sure children are safe. Places priority on reunifying children with their families and/or find other permanent living arrangements when children cannot return home safely. Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

8. Types of Child Welfare Cases Physical Abuse: includes bruises, marks, or injuries as a result of an incident that was not accidental. Neglect: a form of child maltreatment that occurs when a parent fails to act on behalf of a child. Neglect may include a child who doesn’t receive adequate food, shelter, clothing, medical care, or supervision. Sexual Abuse: is considered any sexual act between an adult and a child. Emotional Abuse: a mental injury, a youth who experiences repeated negative comments or is blamed for a family’s problems may be emotionally abused. Dependency: a case in which a child is without the necessary parental care but not at the fault of the parent. Delinquency: youth charged with a delinquency act that if committed as an adult would be a crime. Unruly: a youth charged with an unruly act, an act which is unlawful behavior only applicable to those under the age of 18. Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

9. How Does a Child End Up in Foster Care? A family member, teacher, neighbor, etc. suspects a child is being abused and reports it to a child welfare agency. The PCSA assesses whether there is a safety threat and whether a child must be removed from the home. Based upon the PCSA recommendations, the court may grant temporary custody to the PCSA who will place the child in a substitute care setting. Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

11. Substitute Care Settings Kinship Care: Look to relatives or a suitable non-relative for which the child may have a relationship. Foster Care: place with people who have special training to care for children. Group Home: a home where a group of children live together in one home with people trained to care for them. Residential Center: Some children need care that is best provided in a hospital or other treatment center. Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

12. Discussion Activity Name some words you heard associated with Foster Youth or Foster Care. Consider some of these words: Talented Capable Resilient Ambitious Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

13. Shattering Myths Look at the picture and give me your perceptions. Positive and Negative Discussion Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

14. Shattering Myths Look at this picture and give me your perceptions. Positive and Negative Discussion Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

15. Barack Obama “Michelle and I are here only because we were given a chance at an education. I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance.”- President Barack Obama Supporting Foster Youth Reaching for Higher Education

16. Questions or Comments?