The Factors That Promote Parental Involvement in Foster Parents of Children in Special Education and Their Experiences: A Mixed-Methods Study Proposal

Foster youth are one of the most vulnerable populations in schools today when it comes to education. While previous studies have primarily focused on the foster youth population, far fewer studies have studied the foster parent population. Foster parents can be a source of stability for foster youth, who are at-risk of constant disruptive placements. Currently, there is a growing need to support foster parents with national declining rates of foster parent retention. One way to support foster parents is through parental involvement, which has been associated with higher academic achievement, social-emotional wellbeing, and positive mental health for students. Additionally, parental involvement can also help alleviate foster parent stress by providing social support and strengthening school-family partnerships. This study will utilize a sequential mixed-methods research design to explore what factors promote parental involvement for this population and the specific strategies schools can employ to address this need.