Frequent Moves Make School Tough for Foster Kids

Foster children are four times more likely to move and change elementary schools during an academic year than children not in foster care.

"The sobering message of this paper is that foster children make a lot of moves, but the study also offers a ray of hope," says lead author Katherine C. Pears. bbevren/iStock

Foster children are four times more likely to move and change elementary schools during an academic year than children not in foster care.

All those new homes and new schools can lead to academic and behavior problems that require special intervention.

A new study clarifies the negative impact of school moves experienced by children in foster care but also points out ways to limit the damage.

3 Moves By Age 4

Researchers tracked 86 foster children and compared them with 55 children from non-foster families from preschool to fifth grade, using data collected from children, caregivers, school districts, and social service agencies in a midsized Pacific Northwest community.

All those new homes and new schools can lead to academic and behavior problems that require special intervention.