Facilitation of Positive Childhood Experiences in Public Schools for Children Involved With the Department of Children & Families

The current study examined how school personnel implement trauma-informed practices to promote positive childhood experiences (PCEs) among children involved with Department of Children and Families (DCF) and impact of PCEs on social participation in a sample of 28 school personnel. In 2021, DCF responded to 2,953,446 allegations of child maltreatment across the United States and children involved with DCF and in foster care have experienced at least one traumatic event (Children’s Bureau, n.d.; Greeson et al., 2011). In opposition to trauma, three PCEs can be accessed in a school environment; those being when one: a) can concentrate on feeling ‘a sense of belonging in. . . school,’ b) feeling ‘supported by friends,’ and c) having ‘at least 2 non-parent adults who [take] genuine interest’ in a child (Bethell et al., 2019, p. 3). A mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data at one point in time. Recruitment used convenience sampling and a snowball effect via targeted posting in Facebook groups and emails. Eligibility included working within a public school system and interacting with students involved with DCF. A survey, ‘Positive Childhood Experiences in Schools,’ was developed for this study with questions focused on demographics, positive learning environments, facilitators and barriers to implementing PCEs and/or trauma-informed practices, and observed social participation of youth involved with DCF. Barriers to implementing PCEs were school policies, and lack of resources, time, and support from administration, while facilitators included personal knowledge and access to resources. Schools can support children involved with DCF by fostering PCEs, with OTPs assuming a role in advocacy and implementation of PCES in practice. Advances in school policies should focus on primary existing barriers, including resources and administration support to strengthen school personnel’s ability to foster PCEs.

References

Bethell, C., Jones, J., Gombojay, N., Linkenback, J. & Sege, R. (2019). Positive childhood experiences and adult mental and relational health in a statewide sample: Associations across adverse childhood experience levels. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(11), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3007

Children’s Bureau. (n.d.). Overview and characteristics, child welfare outcomes report data. Administration for Children & Families, Children’s Bureau. https://cwoutcomes.acf.hhs. gov/cwodatasite/childrenReports/index

Greeson, J. K. P., Briggs, E. C., Kisiel, C. L., Layne, C. M., Ake III, G. S., Ko, S. J., Gerrity, E. T., Steinberg, A. M., Howard, M. L., Pynoos, R. S., & Fairbank, J. A. (2011). Complex trauma and mental health in children and adolescents placed in foster care: Findings from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Child Welfare, 90(6), 91–108.