Webinars
Our most recent webinars and accompanying materials will be posted here
To view the complete series, head over to our YouTube channel
September 2025
Presentation:
Slideshow:
"Post-Secondary Educational Aspirations Among Young Adults With Foster Care Experience: Highlighting the Interest in Vocational- Focused Education"
Presented by:
Mary Elizabeth Collins, A.M., PhD
Professor, Boston University School of Social Work
This webinar will present findings from a study that examined post-secondary aspirations, plans and goals among a sample of young adults with previous child welfare involvement. The study focused specifically on vocational education which has not received significant research attention but which is an important educational option. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.
March 2025
“The Impact of Financial Security and Social Support on the Community College Experiences of Youth Impacted by Foster Care with Dis(abilities)”
Presented by:
Dr. Dominique Mikell Montgomery- Assistant Professor at University of Nevada- Reno
& Evelyn Rodriguez- Artist, Activist, & Advocate living in Los Angeles, CA
"Earning a college degree is correlated with various positive outcomes for individuals in areas such as job satisfaction, civic engagement, and economic stability. However, not everyone in our society universally benefits from higher education. While limited scholarship exists on the educational attainment of youth impacted by foster care (YIFC) experiencing (dis)abilities, the evidence available supports the idea that these youth face unique barriers to pursuing higher education. Our study fills this gap in knowledge by examining how YIFC with (dis)abilities experience attending public 2-year colleges with a particular focus on their access to supportive services and resources to meet their basic needs. We recruited seventeen individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 years of age who were or were formerly involved with the child welfare system in California, identified as having a (dis)ability, and were currently enrolled or had been enrolled in the last five years at a public, 2-year college. These young people participated in focus groups and interviews focused on their collegiate experiences conducted by a research team of system-impacted youth. Data analysis revealed that youth often faced significant challenges meeting their basic needs when attending community college and that these challenges greatly impacted their academic trajectories. Additionally, we found that young people believed having a robust social support network greatly impacted their ability to thrive in college. Findings have identified gaps in our policies and practices and provide vital information on how the child welfare system can better support YIFC experiencing dis(abilities) achieve a higher education.”
Presentation:
Slideshow:
September 2024
Graduate School Application Support Programs:
Promoting educational equity and career advancement for students with lived experience in foster care
Presented by:
Sylvia Sensiper, PhD- Co-Coordinator of MAPS
Sylvia Sensiper holds a doctorate in public policy and social research and has spent the last 17 years writing and advocating for students with lived experience in foster care.
Dr. Sensiper discusses helping these students apply for advanced and professional degrees. Dr. Sensiper offers some best practices and generalizable ideas about how to work with students in this demographic.
Presentation:
Slideshow:
April 2024
Presented by:
Sheila Bustillos, Ph.D.- Co Founder, Education Reach for Texans; Director- Student Services Assessment, University of North Texas
“Foster Care Liaisons in higher education are mandated in several US states. Education Reach for Texans reviewed manuals, job descriptions, and policy guides, to understand more about the US expected out of the liaisons who support students with experience in foster care. In this interactive presentation, we will uncover what we found from a contextual analysis. However, the most important part of this webinar is to get your feedback on this model so we can use it as a launching point to uncover a better, more systematic practice model for supporting students with lived experience in foster care.”
Higher Education Foster Care Liaison Model
Presentation:
Slideshow:
Our most recent webinars and accompanying materials will be posted here
To view the complete series, head over to our YouTube channel