MSU students and faculty from the School of Social Work are participating in a field research program to address questions plaguing foster children and their families.
The Child Welfare Learning Collaborative is a partnership created by the Catholic Social Services of Lansing/St. Vincent Home,University Outreach Partnerships and the School of Social Work at MSU. The program will place faculty and students at the St. Vincent Home for Children, 2800 W. Willow St. in Lansing, which is an agency that provides care for foster children who have encountered abuse and neglect.
Millie Powe-Ericson, director of residential services for Catholic Social Services of Lansing/St. Vincent Home, said foster children will benefit greatly from the participation by the students.
“The collaboration is going to provide us with valuable research,” she said. “The information we learn through the work of the students will best help us work with the kids in foster care.”
Eleven graduate students and six undergraduates will work at the home 16 hours per week while in the program. At least half of the students time will be spent working side by side with children. The students - who are unpaid interns in the program - earn four credits per semester for their involvement.
Graduate student Noelle Mejia said working part-time and taking classes is difficult, but the experience is an opportunity she won’t take for granted.
“I enjoy every day I come in,” she said. “It’s a challenge, but it is a good challenge. A challenge that will help me in the job market.”
Annette Abrams, director of MSU Outreach Partnerships, said there are many problems that are prevalent in the foster care community. She said issues of attachment, substance abuse and sexual abuse are common with foster care children.
The concept of grand rounds - which are monthly meetings - will be implemented in the program every month to address these issues. Each meeting will address a particular question troubling the foster care community.
Using the grand rounds concept, experts from MSU, Catholic Social Services of Lansing/St. Vincent Home and invited guests will offer two-hour presentations to the staff, faculty, former foster children, foster parents, students and other people that have relevant knowledge or interest in the topic.
The first grand round will be held at the St. Vincent Home, Sept. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon.
The keynote speaker will be John Seita, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work, who was once in foster care. The first monthly meeting theme is “Surviving and Thriving in Foster Care.”
Seita said after leaving foster care, a high percentage of foster children are homeless and may face unemployment. Seita was once himself homeless - and never dreamed he would become a professor.
“I have an 8-year-old daughter and I tell her every day I love her,” he said. “Many times kids in foster care never hear those words. One of the goals of the program is when kids leave foster care they have the adequate means to be successful.”
