December 2015 Updates

December 2015 Updates
Foster Care Continuum (FCC) Coffee Talks
This is an opportunity for CWEL’s to learn what is new around foster care education and to talk with each other about
current successes and barriers in a collaborative way. RSVP below, so we can assure we have enough space for everyone
who plans to attend. The next one is on: December 10, Thursday 10 am -12 pm at the Denver Café United (Within the
Mile High United Way Building), 711 Park Avenue West, Denver, CO 80205 (303) 291-6999. Please RSVP to our Event
Bright here.
Challenging Behavior and Executive Function for Students with Brain Injury
Friday, December 4, 2015 - 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Adams 12 Conference Center
Janet Zimmerman, RSVP or Questions to [email protected]
The Foster Care Education Webpage has a fresh new look. The landing page was modified to provide ease of navigation.
Feel free to take a look here and let us know if you have any feedback.
Did you know that November was Homeless Youth Awareness Month? Every year, November marks an opportunity on
calendars to increase awareness and educate the public on strategies for preventing and ending youth homelessness. If
you would like to learn more about the issue of homelessness, 5280 Magazine’s current issue has an in-depth look at
homelessness in Denver that hit newsstands last Friday. The online version found can be found here. You can find their
profile of a local student here.
The Foster Care Education Program FAQ are commonly asked questions around educational issues for youth in foster
care which include enrollment and transfer questions. Below is a sample question around enrollment from this
document. To read this document in its entirety click here.
The question of the month:
Can students in foster care have access to free lunch?
Yes. Students in foster care are categorically eligible for free school meals without submission of a free and reducedprice household application. This means that a student in foster care can receive free school meals based on third-party
documentation of their foster status. Acceptable documentation includes information indicating the State retains legal
custody of the child. That documentation can come from the court that placed the child or from a State or local foster
agency that administers the foster care program.
2
LEGAL Definitions below supplied from the Office of Children’s Representatives. (Thank you!)
The Children’s Code defines terms in 19-1-103.
Foster Care: (51.3) "Foster care" means the placement of a child into the legal custody or legal authority of a county
department of social services for physical placement of the child in a kinship care placement or certified or licensed
facility or the physical placement of a juvenile committed to the custody of the state department of human services into
a community placement.
GAL: (59) "Guardian ad litem" means a person appointed by a court to act in the best interests of a person whom the
person appointed is representing in proceedings under this title and who, if appointed to represent a person in a
dependency and neglect proceeding under article 3 of this title, shall be an attorney-at-law licensed to practice in
Colorado.
Best Interest Determination: Although there is no statutory definition of best interests of the child, it’s not as
ambiguous as described. The Legislative Declaration C.R.S. 19-1-102 provides the following guiding principles:
(1) The general assembly declares that the purposes of this title are:
(a) To secure for each child subject to these provisions such care and guidance, preferably in his own home, as
will best serve his welfare and the interests of society;
(b) To preserve and strengthen family ties whenever possible, including improvement of home environment;
(c) To remove a child from the custody of his parents only when his welfare and safety or the protection of the
public would otherwise be endangered and, in either instance, for the courts to proceed with all possible speed
to a legal determination that will serve the best interests of the child; and
(d) To secure for any child removed from the custody of his parents the necessary care, guidance, and discipline
to assist him in becoming a responsible and productive member of society.
(1.5) (a) The General Assembly declares that it is in the best interests of the child who has been removed from his or her
own home to have the following guarantees:
(1) To be placed in a secure and stable environment
(2) To not be indiscriminately moved from foster home to foster home
(3) To have assurance of long-term permanency planning

CDE Foster Care Education webpage at http://www.cde.state.co.us/DropoutPrevention/fostercare_index.htm

Sheree Wheeler , CDE State Coordinator of Foster Care Education, 303-866-6007, [email protected]

American Bar Association has the Fostering Connections Act of 2008 Implementation Toolkit Improving Education
Outcomes for Children and Youth in Foster Care: www.americanbar.org
December Updates 2015