Foster care collaboration: A multiple case study

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires teachers to collaborate with parents to plan, implement, and monitor special education plans. The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe how nine elementary and middle school special education teachers collaborated with parents and additional caregivers of youth with behavior disabilities residing in foster care. The grand tour question of the study was: How do elementary and middle school special education teachers collaborate on behalf of youth with behavior disabilities in foster care? The sub questions for the study were: (1) How do elementary and middle school special education teachers collaborate with caseworkers? (2) How do elementary and middle school special education teachers collaborate with birth parents and foster parents? (3) How do elementary and middle school special education teachers describe how governing policies affect their collaboration with caseworkers, birth parents, and foster parents? (4) How do elementary and middle school special education teachers evaluate their collaboration with caseworkers, birth parents, and foster parents? (5) How do elementary and middle school special education teachers describe their motivation to collaborate with caseworkers, birth parents, and foster parents? Data analysis of the interview transcripts resulted in seven themes. The themes explained how: (1) The participants were unfamiliar with the court\u27s supervision of youth in foster care. (2) Principals assisted the participants with collaborative efforts. (3) The participants\u27 observed adequate and insufficient caseworker supervision of youth assigned to their caseloads. (4) Birth parents\u27 resentment toward foster care may have hindered collaborative efforts at school. (5) The participants\u27 articulated a positive disposition toward youth in foster care. (6) The participants\u27 intended for youth in foster care to achieve stability at school and in foster homes. The themes exposed gaps in the foster care literature. Suggestions were made for future research studies, including President George W. Bush\u27s proposed changes in special education training, delivery, and evaluation associated with No Child Left Behind legislation