Lack of Adequate Care for Foster Children with Autism

03/09/2023

We're Seeds That Grow, and we're here to explain the need for a specifically built and exclusively catered daycare facility within our child placement agency to assist children with autism in the foster care system.

The purpose of this awareness is to provide you with an overview of the current status of autism-centered daycare programs in Georgia and makes a suggestion for their implementation in state foster care organizations.

In addition, we plan to touch on the benefits of such a program, and the disadvantages of not having one, and draw conclusions based on current studies.

03/09/2023

Awareness is one way we can achieve our goal.

We were recently asked about and interviewed on the subject of foster care and mental health awareness.

Watch this 5-minute interview for further insight into the trauma foster kids are exposed to, the obstacles foster parents face, and how important community involvement can be in this entire process.

https://www.walb.com/video/2021/05/17/breakdown-seeds-that-grow-staff-address-foster-care-mental-health-awareness-south-ga/?fbclid=IwAR0KsIIbdAXanm8hEY7ZIReD5KM3FBl6sSe-7TvdgDx48hg8Q4DIFrNxlPc

03/09/2023

What can these policies easily accomplish, you ask?

✨It could aid in developing autism-centered daycare programs that cater to children in foster care with an autism spectrum disorder.

✨It could provide specialized training and resources to support and accommodate the unique needs of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

✨It could increase access to applied behavior therapy (ABA) and other services for children with autism.

and lastly,

✨It could increase public awareness of the need for autism-centered daycare programs.

03/08/2023

So, what is our problem you ask?

Currently, Seeds that Grow Inc. serves 80 children, ages 0-21, within the foster care system. Of the 80 served, the percentage of them with an autism diagnosis is set at 8.5%.

Sadly, many of them have been removed from numerous daycares due to their challenging behaviors, which leaves our foster parents and staff with little to no option in terms of alternative care.

Currently, Seeds that Grow, Inc. does not offer specialized childcare to our foster children with autism and did you know, there is no child-placing agency with such a service, to date.

Foster-care children with autism frequently experience particular difficulties and need specialized care that might not be offered in conventional foster-care environments. This isn't due to our lack of caring, but yet is a lack of funding and resources to provide the care needed to our children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

03/08/2023

Here's some more context:

According to Autism Speaks Georgia, the prevalence of autism among children in the foster care system is even higher, with some studies suggesting that up to 75 percent of foster care children have some form of autism.

The need for autism-centered daycare programs in foster care agencies is clear, and our advocacy brief will outline our strategies for implementation.

03/08/2023

What is Autism?

We're glad you asked!

Here is some background on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects an individual's ability to communicate, interact with others, and participate in everyday activities. Those with autism often have difficulty with social interaction and communication and can be prone to sensory overload and other related issues.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 54 (8 y/o) children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (U.S) and 1 in 53 in the state of Georgia, making it one of the most common developmental disabilities in the United States.

03/08/2023

🗣3 🗣

3 is the number of childcare centers in Georgia that are specialized in providing childcare for children with Autism.

Want to know why there are so few?

This can be largely blamed on a lack of awareness, resources, training, and funding, per research.

As an agency, we promise to spread the word about ASD, share resources, provide ongoing training opportunities, and hold fundraisers for additional funding and to bring more awareness around autism.

03/08/2023

Proper access to resources, training of staff, and education are all important and necessary when working with children with ASD, as they are at a greater risk for social and emotional difficulties, which can lead to a decrease in academic performance and overall well-being, according to the CDC.

In order to discover more about children with ASD and other disorders, the CDC launched and funded The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), which is a multi-year multi-site study (see map below).

What have they learned from SEED so far? Children with ASD are more likely than other children to have developmental delays, gastrointestinal problems, and sleep problems, and to engage in wandering and self-harming behaviors. All of which could be better addressed and cared for with the proper, knowledgeable staff.

03/08/2023

If funding is provided, our program could be implemented by partnering with local organizations experienced in working with children with autism. According to Autism Speaks Georgia, there are over 100 different organizations that provide things such as treatment and therapies, support groups, state services, education, recreation and community activities, housing and community living, health and medical needs, evaluations, and diagnosis, employment, after school programs, camps and programs for art and music, as well as advocacy resources.

See what the State of Georgia has to offer and know that there are partners out there willing to offer an array of different resources for our youth with autism.

Find expert advice and autism resources with the Autism Speaks Resource Guide. Use the filters on the page to find autism services near you.

03/08/2023

Are you interested in gaining further knowledge on Autism?

There are numerous ways to gain further training and education on autism. According to the Marcus Autism Center, "Sharing our knowledge is essential to helping all kids with autism get the best care possible."We believe that with this acquired knowledge, our agency could ensure our children are provided with the best care possible and that all of our staff receive ongoing professional development in the area of ASD.

In addition to the Marcus Autism Center, places such as the Autism Society of America, The Autism Project, and Autism Speaks, all provide training for caregivers, family, and anyone interested In gaining more awareness of ASD.

03/07/2023

According to the article, The Benefits of Inclusion for Students on the Autism Spectrum, written by Hannah Beghin in 2021, her research focuses on how children with autism benefit from being provided with inclusion in the classroom settings, so that others are provided with opportunities to "increase the knowledge of autism, as well as teaching students how to act positively with others". As of 2021, Hannah was "a grade five teacher within a rural school".

With collaboration with the local school systems, our organization could work to include a comprehensive curriculum designed to meet the needs of children with autism. One of which includes activities that encourage social interaction, communication, and development.

If you would like to learn more about her research, please visithttps://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304391.pdf to gain further insight.

03/07/2023

Did YOU Know?

That increased public awareness of the need for autism-centered childcare programs, providing access to the necessary resources to support the care of children with autism, and increasing funding for these programs are ways we can implement our proposed plan of increasing access to autism-centered childcare programs for our foster youth.

Tune in tomorrow for additional resources and benefits!