Educational Gaps Highlight Need for Foster Care Adoption

We see every day the impact adoption can have on children in foster care, especially youth waiting the longest. But to fully understand the true power of adoption, it’s important to recognize what is lost when adoption does not happen. While there is no shortage of long-term, negative outcomes that children in foster care can face, educational barriers are high on the list. 

Navigating the road to college or workforce training is a challenge for many teenagers who are interested in post-secondary education. Achieving top grades, securing funding and deciding on a course of study or training are just a few of the challenges that can make the path seem overwhelming. For teenagers who do not have the support of a permanent family, that path can seem impossible.  

Recently, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption commissioned The Harris Poll to conduct a survey measuring Americans’ attitudes, understanding and awareness of the importance of having parental support in youths’ likelihood of accessing higher education opportunities. It found that nearly 9 in 10 Americans (88%) received support from a parent while in school (K–12), and 3 in 4 Americans (74%) agree that receiving help from a parent helped prepare them to graduate from high school.

Children are placed in foster care through no fault of their own because of abuse, neglect or other issues that made their home unsafe. When youth linger in care, risking multiple moves and placements, the trauma they have already experienced is compounded. Additionally, receiving consistent support for their education can be a challenge. More than 4 in 5 Americans (82%) agree that frequently changing homes makes it difficult for students to get a good education. That hardship is illustrated by the fact that, on average, youth in foster care graduate high school at a lower rate than their peers. 

This research confirms what we know to be true — having the support of a parent who they know will always be there for them serves as a trampoline for a child’s success in life, every step of the way. 

Beyond grades K–12, the survey also revealed that many students received support from a parent when transitioning to post-secondary education. Nearly half of college graduates surveyed (48%) say they relied on a parent to live with after graduation. In contrast, of the nearly 20,000 teens who age out of the foster care system in the U.S. every year without being adopted, nearly half will experience homelessness.

Having a permanent family that provides a safe and stable environment lays the foundation for a child’s success in school and in life. Family is critical, and the urgent work to find the right family for each child can impact pivotal points in their educational journey, including graduating from high school and going on to workforce training or college. The transition from high school to college, for example, is one of the most critical times to have parental support. Children who are not adopted face a much lower likelihood of graduating from college than their peers. 

But adoption can change this trajectory. Zach Cochran credits the support he received from his parents who adopted him at age 11 with guiding him to where he is today. 

“I am out of college with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a certification in special education,” Zach said. “I am currently in my first job working in the classroom. I can confidently say that I have the education I have because my adoptive family gave me the needed stability.”

No matter what kind of support parents provide for their child’s education, feeling supported is essential to their success. 

While we know the incredible impact adoption can have on youth and the importance of finding homes for every child who needs them, we also must acknowledge the specific aspects of a child’s life that can be improved by having a loving, consistent parent. 

This disparity in educational outcomes is one of the reasons propelling the expansion of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s national awareness campaigns, evidence-based legal permanency programs and post-adoption strategies and support. The Foundation is committed to collaborating to assess and fill critical gaps in the child welfare system to ensure that state and local policies and practices elevate and support children, youth and families.

Every child — no matter their age, their journey through the child welfare system or how they identify —deserves the best possible opportunity for a bright future with the support of a permanent family.