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Foster care & financial aid

Foster care & financial aid. Zoë Blumberg Corwin 213-740-2881 zcorwin@usc.edu. Foster care in the United States. There are over 600,000 children in foster care in the U.S. More children enter each year than leave Average stay = 21 months Most children experience multiple placements

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Foster care & financial aid

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  1. Foster care & financial aid Zoë Blumberg Corwin 213-740-2881 zcorwin@usc.edu

  2. Foster care in the United States • There are over 600,000 children in foster care in the U.S. • More children enter each year than leave • Average stay = 21 months • Most children experience multiple placements • The number of children entering the system is increasing by 10% a year

  3. Foster care & education • Approximately 75% of children in foster care work below grade level • Approximately 50% complete high school • Of those, approximately 15% attend college • Of those, approximately 1% attend graduate school (Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles, 2004)

  4. Within two-four years post emancipation: • 51% are unemployed • 40% are on public assistance • 25% become homeless • 20% are incarcerated at least once (Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles, 2004)

  5. Financial aid paradox for foster youth: • Financial aid exists • Students can not/do not access aid

  6. Financial aid available to foster youth • Federal • FAFSA • Chafee grants • State • Fee waivers • BOG (CA) • ILP monies • Local • Scholarships • University sponsored programs • Renaissance & Guardian Scholars

  7. Challenges to obtaining financial aid for college • Low rates of high school graduation • Lack of information • Misinformation • Different financial aid needs • Unmet need • Housing

  8. Addressing the problem • Education Coordination Council • Citywide effort to enhance communication between various agencies providing servies to foster care and probation youth (education, mental health, DCFS, probation) • United Friends of the Children • College counselor dedicated to foster youth • Citywide event with breakout sessions for foster youth • Brochures and flyers for dissemination

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