Effectiveness of education focused wraparound services to improve academic success for foster youth: A pilot study

Youth with foster care experience are disproportionality burdened with poor academic outcomes compared to non-foster experience youth. The Fostering Academic Success in Education (FASE) pilot program provides comprehensive onsite educational case management services to foster care youth. We used mixed methods to explore the effects of FASE on participating youth's academic performance and perceived self-efficacy to manage mental health services and support. Between 2020 and 2023, the FASE pilot program was delivered to 40 middle and high school students involved in child welfare services and out-of-home placements. Quantitative data comprised pre-post FASE intervention academic outcomes (GPA, attendance, and tardies) and the Youth Efficacy/Empowerment Scale-Mental Health (YES-MH). Paired sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to assess difference in time outcomes. Qualitative generating questionnaires were administered to FASE youth and school personnel annually. After participating in FASE for one academic year, youths' GPA significantly improved (mean 2.38–2.80, p = .001), tardies significantly reduced (mean 3.78–3.1, p = .011), unexcused periods significantly reduced (mean 17.30–9.51, p = .018) and there was a significant improvement in YES-MH scores (mean 46.9–55, p = .001). Female youth had larger GPA and YES-MH score increases than male youth. FASE youth and personnel attributed academic success to the comprehensive support received by the program's educational social worker. The FASE program holds promise in improving academic performance and mental health self-efficacy among foster care-involved youth.