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Youths in foster care with language delays: Prevalence, causes, and interventions
Author(s) -
Krier Jessie C.,
Green Tonika Duren,
Kruger Ashley
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/pits.22129
Subject(s) - foster care , psychology , neglect , developmental psychology , psychological intervention , competence (human resources) , population , intervention (counseling) , social psychology , medicine , nursing , psychiatry , environmental health
Children in the foster care system often face many educational challenges, including having an increased risk of language delays compared to the general population, with an estimated 35%–73% of the foster youth population experiencing language difficulties. Language delays are caused by many factors, but for children in foster care, one major antecedent is child abuse and neglect. Early delays greatly impact long‐term outcomes for children, including delays in their reading, writing, and social competence. This article explores possible causes of language delays for youths in foster care, describes the negative impact of language delays, and identifies evidence‐based practices for early intervention within the child welfare system and primary and secondary schools, specifically targeting practices for school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, and speech pathologists.