Pushed Aside by COVID-19

The Ongoing Challenges of a Foster Youth Advocate to Support a Native American Foster Child with Educational Attainment

Abstract

Foster youth are plagued with emotional, psychological, physical, behavioral, mental, and health challenges that may take years and the involvement of many social services to recover from, if they ever do. Obtaining an education is a critical element for ongoing self-sustainability, confidence, and growth as they age out of the foster care system. A foster child who is of Native American heritage has an even greater challenge to obtaining an education with the lack of parental support and guidance, and an even greater trial to obtaining an education in a pandemic-laden world. This manuscript will detail the challenges a Native American foster youth met due to being pushed aside from obtaining an education critical for engaging in a successful and positive life as a direct result of COVID-19. The manuscript is a singular, empirical case study. The purpose of this manuscript is to detail the extenuating educational access challenges a specific foster youth and her advocate experienced as result of the COVID-19 pandemic.