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Interventions aiming to improve school achievements of children in out-of-home care: A scoping review

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  • Forsman, Hilma
  • Vinnerljung, Bo

Abstract

The educational underachievement of children in out-of-home care has been known for decades. In this scoping review, we compiled and analyzed – with a narrative approach – evaluated interventions that aimed to improve foster children's school achievements. Despite a comprehensive searching strategy, only eleven relevant studies were found, indicating that little has been done in intervention research to improve educational outcomes for children in public care. Nine out of the eleven interventions reported some positive results. Literacy was improved in most studies, while evaluated attempts to enhance numeracy skills yielded mixed results. Positive results came from a range of different interventions, e.g. tutoring projects and structured individualized support. We conclude that most focused interventions seem to improve foster children's poor academic achievements, but tutoring projects have so far the best empirical support from evaluations with rigorous designs. Also there's a definite need for more intervention research.

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  • Forsman, Hilma & Vinnerljung, Bo, 2012. "Interventions aiming to improve school achievements of children in out-of-home care: A scoping review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1084-1091.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:34:y:2012:i:6:p:1084-1091
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.01.037
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    1. Flynn, Robert J. & Marquis, Robyn A. & Paquet, Marie-Pierre & Peeke, Lisa M. & Aubry, Tim D., 2012. "Effects of individual direct-instruction tutoring on foster children's academic skills: A randomized trial," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1183-1189.
    2. Harper, Julie & Schmidt, Fred, 2012. "Preliminary effects of a group-based tutoring program for children in long-term foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1176-1182.
    3. Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2011. "Cognitive, educational and self-support outcomes of long-term foster care versus adoption. A Swedish national cohort study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1902-1910, October.
    4. Pecora, Peter J. & Kessler, Ronald C. & O'Brien, Kirk & White, Catherine Roller & Williams, Jason & Hiripi, Eva & English, Diana & White, James & Herrick, Mary Anne, 2006. "Educational and employment outcomes of adults formerly placed in foster care: Results from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 1459-1481, December.
    5. Dalen, Monica & Hjern, Anders & Lindblad, Frank & Odenstad, Anna & Ramussen, Finn & Vinnerljung, Bo, 2008. "Educational attainment and cognitive competence in adopted men -- A study of international and national adoptees, siblings and a general Swedish population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(10), pages 1211-1219, October.
    6. Berlin, Marie & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2011. "School performance in primary school and psychosocial problems in young adulthood among care leavers from long term foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 2489-2497.
    7. Cook, Ronna J., 1994. "Are we helping foster care youth prepare for their future?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(3-4), pages 213-229.
    8. Trout, Alexandra L. & Hagaman, Jessica & Casey, Kathryn & Reid, Robert & Epstein, Michael H., 2008. "The academic status of children and youth in out-of-home care: A review of the literature," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 979-994, September.
    9. Stone, Susan, 2007. "Child maltreatment, out-of-home placement and academic vulnerability: A fifteen-year review of evidence and future directions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 139-161, February.
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    1. Hansson, Åse & Gustafsson, Jan-Eric & Nielsen, Bo, 2018. "Special needs education and school mobility: School outcomes for children placed and not placed in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 589-597.
    2. Kirkøen, Benedicte & Engell, Thomas & Follestad, Ingvild B. & Holen, Solveig & Hagen, Kristine Amlund, 2021. "Early academic struggles among children with home-based support from child welfare services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    3. Townsend, Indra M. & Berger, Emily P. & Reupert, Andrea E., 2020. "Systematic review of the educational experiences of children in care: Children’s perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    4. Brännström, Lars & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2015. "Risk factors for teenage childbirths among child welfare clients: Findings from Sweden," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 44-51.
    5. Forsman, Hilma, 2020. "Exploring educational pathways over the life course in children with out-of-home care experience: A multi-group path analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    6. Marion, Élodie & Mann-Feder, Varda, 2020. "Supporting the educational attainment of youth in residential care: From issues to controversies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    7. Engell, Thomas & Løvstad, Anne Marte & Kirkøen, Benedicte & Ogden, Terje & Amlund Hagen, Kristine, 2021. "Exploring how intervention characteristics affect implementability: A mixed methods case study of common elements-based academic support in child welfare services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    8. Flynn, Robert J. & Marquis, Robyn A. & Paquet, Marie-Pierre & Peeke, Lisa M. & Aubry, Tim D., 2012. "Effects of individual direct-instruction tutoring on foster children's academic skills: A randomized trial," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1183-1189.
    9. McGuire, Austen & Gabrielli, Joy & Hambrick, Erin & Abel, Madelaine R. & Guler, Jessy & Jackson, Yo, 2021. "Academic functioning of youth in foster care: The influence of unique sources of social support," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    10. Durbeej, Natalie & Hellner, Clara, 2017. "Improving school performance among Swedish foster children: A quasi-experimental study exploring outcomes of the Skolfam model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 466-476.
    11. Goyette, Martin & Blanchet, Alexandre & Esposito, Tonino & Delaye, Ashleigh, 2021. "The role of placement instability on employment and educational outcomes among adolescents leaving care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Harper, Julie & Schmidt, Fred, 2016. "Effectiveness of a group-based academic tutoring program for children in foster care: A randomized controlled trial," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 238-246.
    13. Chih-Feng Chien & Ching-Jung Liao & Brent G. Walters, 2018. "Enriching Service-Learning by Developing e-Tutoring in Foster Homes," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 221-238, April.
    14. O'Higgins, Aoife & Sebba, Judy & Gardner, Frances, 2017. "What are the factors associated with educational achievement for children in kinship or foster care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 198-220.
    15. Eiberg, Misja & Olsen, Rikke Fuglsang, 2022. "Too high or too low? the role of educational expectations for children in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    16. Tordön, Rikard & Bladh, Marie & Svedin, Carl Göran & Sydsjö, Gunilla, 2020. "Challenging intellectual, behavioral and educational prerequisites for interventions aimed at school aged children in foster care. A compilation of Swedish test results," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    17. Vinnerljung, Bo & Brännström, Lars & Hjern, Anders, 2015. "Disability pension among adult former child welfare clients: A Swedish national cohort study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 169-176.
    18. Olsen, Rikke Fuglsang & de Montgomery, Christopher J., 2018. "Revisiting out-of-home placed children's poor educational outcomes—Is school change part of the explanation?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 103-113.
    19. Brännström, Lars & Karlsson, Henrik & Vinnerljung, Bo & Hjern, Anders, 2018. "Childhood risk factors for disability pension among adult former Swedish child welfare clients: Same or different as for majority population peers?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 94-102.
    20. Harder, Annemiek T. & Mann-Feder, Varda & Oterholm, Inger & Refaeli, Tehila, 2020. "Supporting transitions to adulthood for youth leaving care: Consensus based principles," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    21. Kääriälä, Antti & Berlin, Marie & Lausten, Mette & Hiilamo, Heikki & Ristikari, Tiina, 2018. "Early school leaving by children in out-of-home care: A comparative study of three Nordic countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 186-195.
    22. Evans, Rhiannon & Hallett, Sophie & Rees, Alyson & Roberts, Louise, 2016. "The acceptability of educational Interventions: Qualitative evidence from children and young people in care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 68-76.
    23. Hickey, Andrea J. & Flynn, Robert J., 2020. "A randomized evaluation of 15 versus 25 weeks of individual tutoring for children in care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    24. Woodgate, Roberta L. & Morakinyo, Oluwatobiloba & Martin, Katrina M., 2017. "Interventions for youth aging out of care: A scoping review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 280-300.
    25. Goemans, Anouk & van Geel, Mitch & Wilderjans, Tom F. & van Ginkel, Joost R. & Vedder, Paul, 2018. "Predictors of school engagement in foster children: A longitudinal study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 33-43.

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