DEI for Foster Care Students

By Michael Arrington MS, MFT

Doctoral Candidate

🌍🤝 Foster Care Students: Unlocking Success through DEIA! 📚✨


Today, I want to shed light on an important topic close to my heart - creating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible (DEIA) environment for students in the foster care system. These resilient individuals possess immense potential, and it's crucial that we extend a helping hand to ensure their success.

👉 Supportive Networks: Foster care students thrive when surrounded by a robust support system. Let's collaborate with educational institutions, social workers, mentors, and community organizations to provide holistic support, guidance, and encouragement. By fostering a sense of belonging, we empower them to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

👉 Education Advocacy: Advocacy plays a pivotal role in the success of foster care students. Let's work together to create awareness, influence policy changes, and drive systemic improvements within educational systems. By advocating for stable school placements, flexible academic programs, and targeted support services, we can pave the way for their educational success.

👉 Scholarships and Financial Aid: Financial barriers should never hinder foster care students from accessing higher education. Let's collaborate with organizations, businesses, and government agencies to establish scholarships and financial aid programs specifically tailored to their needs. By ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities, we open doors for their future achievements.

👉 Trauma-Informed Support: Foster care students often carry a history of trauma. It's crucial to provide trauma-informed support services within educational settings. By training teachers, administrators, and staff members to recognize and respond to their unique needs, we create safe and nurturing environments that foster healing, growth, and academic success.

👉 Mentorship and Role Models: Positive role models and mentors can make a world of difference in the lives of foster care students. Let's encourage professionals from diverse backgrounds to step forward and become mentors, offering guidance, inspiration, and opportunities. By sharing our experiences and expertise, we empower them to envision a brighter future and realize their full potential.

👉 Holistic Well-being: Foster care students thrive when their holistic well-being is prioritized. Let's ensure access to mental health resources, counseling services, and extracurricular activities that nurture their emotional, physical, and social development. By addressing their well-being comprehensively, we support their overall growth and help them flourish.

Together, we can create a future where foster care students have equal opportunities to succeed. Let's amplify their voices, break down barriers, and build an inclusive society that values their unique perspectives and contributions. Join me in this mission and let's make a difference, one student at a time.

#DEIA #FosterCareEducation #InclusiveOpportunities #YouthEmpowerment #TogetherWeRise

Note: DEIA stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.

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D.E.I. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Consulting

Michaels contributions have led to student successes. As of 2021 he has taken 112 high school students who lack of motivation, focus and credits to graduate, to incentivized and goal orientated students able to reach their academic potential. These 112 students are all set to graduate in the class of 2022. Eighty-one of the 112 students will be enrolled in community college and 4 directly to universities this fall. He also remains active in professional associations, frequently presenting research at the American Educational Research Association and the Critical Race Studies in Education Association. Michael also helped create a mental health unit for youth who were incarcerated in juvenile hall. This unit was designed to provide treatment to youth incarcerated that suffer from mental health issues, trauma, or suicidal ideations.