The SPPS Student Placement Center. Source: SPPS
In this Field Notes post, Margaret writes about her field placement working with youth in St. Paul Public Schools who are currently in foster care.
My field experience at the Fostering Connections office in St. Paul Public Schools has given me an excellent introduction to child welfare policy, cross-systems collaboration, and direct practice with adolescents. The office was established two years ago to promote the educational stability and academic achievement of St. Paul students in foster care. I have greatly valued the ability to be a part of discussions about areas of growth and future partnerships for Fostering Connections, to develop resource materials for a variety of audiences, and to watch as the office develops its role in different collaboratives dedicated to wellbeing for youth in foster care. I have also benefited enormously from the staff’s collective decades of school experience, as I venture out each week to work with high school students in foster care on issues from school engagement and behavior to post-secondary options. The diversity of experiences and dedication of the staff to professional mentorship have made this placement enriching beyond anything I could have wished for.
Written by Margaret, a Title IV-E Scholar