Foster Youth Services

Lake County Office of Education Foster Youth Services strives to address the unique educational needs of foster youth by working collaboratively with youth, caregivers, schools, placing agencies, and other service providers. We are dedicated to improving the academic success of all foster youth by addressing their individual needs.

The Foster Youth Services program was established to meet the unique academic, emotional and basic needs of foster children. Many foster children perform below grade level, are held back in school, and have lower graduation rates than their peers due to multiple school placements and complex family, social and environmental conditions. The Foster Youth Services Program:

Provides individualized case management to support academic achievement, attendance and positive school behavior
Provides high school to college transitional support services
Advocates for foster youths’ educational needs
Advocates locally and state-wide to improve school & child welfare policies
Facilitates communication and collaboration between school and county agency staff

Please look for resources and helpful links, on our Healthy Start Resource Page.

Contact

Ana Santana
Healthy Start Director
(707) 262-4153
asantana@lakecoe.org

Cheryl Graves
Administrative Assistant
(707) 262-4154
cherylg@lakecoe.org

District Liaisons

Each county in the State of California has a designated educational liaison for youth who are in foster care, or who qualify as homeless. The purpose of this work is to combine efforts with other county agencies to assist with the identification and services to these youth in order for them to succeed in school. Any foster or youth designated as homeless has a right to immediate enrollment in school, the right to a transfer of their educational records within 2 business days, and all of the same rights to an equal education as any other child in school.