SCHOOL SUCCESS FOR FOSTER KIDS:

THE NEXUSKIDS’ COMPUTER BUDDIES™ PROGRAM

FACT SHEET

July 16, 2001

! Foster children are highly likely to be one to two years behind in school.

! Foster children are less likely to graduate from high school.

! Abused and neglected children lose six months of emotional development each time they are moved in foster care.

! Foster children are on the wrong side of the digital divide

 

Nexuskids is dedicated to improving interagency cooperation and services for foster children, with a very specific focus on improving their school success. Across South Carolina, educators, social service professionals, and foster parents agree that there is not enough academic information available for individual foster children and many children do poorly in school. Consequently, Nexuskids is facilitating state level resolution of several educational issues that adversely affect foster children: (1) Confidentiality barriers, (2) Difficulty in enrolling a foster child in a school, (3) Timely transfer of school records, (4) Poor communication about educational law and policy, and (5) Lack of support for foster parents in advocating for their foster children’s education.

In partnership with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, the South Carolina Foster Parents Association, and the Departments of Education and Juvenile Justice, Nexuskids in Sumter worked with DSS to implement a highly successful educational and computer support program that brought together the following Sumter partners:

Working together the partners have been able to place computers and printers in the homes of school-age foster children and match 42 community volunteers, or Nexuskids Computer Buddies™, to children who need them to help to maintain the computer, access educational software and encourage academic success. In addition to addressing the digital divide for children, this program also is encouraging improved communication for DSS, foster parents and the schools--and improved school policy for foster children.

Nexuskids is currently working with its partners to facilitate similar exciting programs in other parts of the state and computers are available for many foster children. For more information, or if you are willing to help establish this important program in your area or wish to become a Computer Buddy™, please call Nexuskids at (803) 576-5574 or (803) 576-5578 or contact our website at Nexuskids.org.