Susan Alejandre

Exemplar#2:
GroupCurriculumSupportingStudentsintheFosterCareSystem
StandardsMet:

Standard18:Professionalism,Ethics&LegalMandates
Standard21:PersonalandSocialDevelopment
Standard26:GroupCounselingandFacilitation
Standard29:PreventionEducation&Training

Introduction
ThisexemplarisaComprehensiveGroupCurriculumforSupportingStudentsinthe
FosterCareSystem.ThisassignmentwascompletedinmyTheoryandProcessofGroup
Counseling.Ichoosethisassignmentbecauseoneofmypassionsisworkingwithstudentsin
theFosterCareSystemandbeingabletoprovidethemwithsupportandservices.Thegroup
curriculumIcreatedconsistsofsupportingresearchonfosteryouth,instructiononscreening
students,eightsgrouplessons,parentpermissionform,groupsigninsheet,pre/posttest,and
groupevaluations.Theeightlessonscovertopicssuchascopingwithchange,causesoffeeling
depressedandsad,trust,loss,drugsandalcohol,andanger.Fosteryouthexperienceand
strugglewiththeseissueswhiletheyarelivinginfosterhomes,grouphomes,orguardianship.
Inorderforfosteryouthtoacademicallyexceltheyneedsupportinthepersonal/socialdomains.
Astudentcannotperformwellintheclassroomiftheyareunabletofocusduetothefearofnot
beingabletoreunifywiththeirparentsorhavingtochangefosterhomes.Thegroupisintended
togivefosteryouthasafeplacetobeabletosharetheiranythingtheywouldlikeandtomake
connectionswithotherfosteryouththatareexperiencingsimilarstruggles.Thepurposeofthis

Susan Alejandre
groupcurriculumisgivestudenttheknowledgeofhowtocopewiththeiremotionsinapositive
manner,theattitudetowanttotryimprovethemselves,andskillstoutilizethosecopingskills.
StandardsMet
Standard21:PersonalandSocialDevelopment
WhencreatingthismanualIknewIwantedtofocusontheFosterYouthpopulation,but
didntknowspecificallywhattopictofocusthemanualon.Statisticshowthatveryfewfoster
youthgraduatefromhighschoolsoplannedtofocusonacademics,howeverinorderforstudents
toimprovetheirgradestheyneedtobeemotionallyandmentallypresentintheclassroom.I
gainedcompetencyinthisstandardthroughresearchingresearcharticlesonsocialandpersonal
issuesthatfosteryouthencounter.InmyresearchIfoundthatfosteryouthneedsupportinhow
tocopewithdifficultsituationssuchaslossofparent,separationfromfamilymembers,parent
neglect/abandonment,multiplefosterhomeplacements,anger,andfeelingsofdepressionand
sadness.Itisverycommonforfosteryouthtoengageinsubstanceuse,physicalfights,runaway,
inflictinselfharm,releasetheirangeronothersandthemselves,andengageinsexualbehavior
asawaytonegativelycopewiththeiremotions.ThesearealltopicsthatIdecidedtoembedinto
mygrouplessons.ItisimportantthatIteachfosteryouthhowtoexpresstheirfeelingsandhow
toreleasetheirpaininapositivemannersothatinreturnitwillpreventstudentsfromengaging
indangerousbehaviors.
Standard26:GroupCounselingandFacilitation
In creating this assignment Igained the skills toknow how to screen astudent and
identifyiftheyareanappropriatefitforthegroup.Ilearnedtheimportanceofcommunicating
withkeyindividualsinafosteryouthlifesuchasfosterparents,CourtAppointedAdvocates,

Susan Alejandre
andsocialworkersinordertogainconsentforthestudenttobepartofthegroup. Normally
groupsareclosedgroupsmeaningthatoncethegroupsessionshavebegunnewstudentsare
unabletojoin.Sincethegroupconsistsoffosteryouth,itwasimportanttotakeintoaccountthat
studentswillbeleavingandjoiningthegroupinresultoffosterhomeplacementchanges. A
closedgroupwouldnotfunction,butanopengroupwouldallnewstudentsthatareinthefoster
caresystemtogainthemuchneededsupportfromstudentsinthegroupthatareinthefoster
caresystem.
Standard29:PreventionEducationandTraining
Teachingfosteryouthhowtocopewithangerandsadnessingroupcounselingisa
preventativemethodforstudentsnottousesubstances,getintofights,orengageinselfharm.
Severalresearcharticlesconveythatfosteryouthareverylikelytobeusingandabusingdrugs
andalcohol.Thesesubstancesareusedtonumbtheirpainandforgetabouttheirproblems.
Insteadofengagingindangerousbehaviorsthegroupprovidesaspaceforthemtoverbalize
whatisbuggingthemandforthemtocriticallythinkingofalternativeoptionstoconquertheir
problems.Havingcreatedamanualonpreventionandlearningabouthowtoruncounseling
groupsinmycoursehasallowedmetobeempoweredandbetterequippedtoservestudentsin
areaswheretheyneedthemostsupport.Themanualincludespre/postteststhataregiventothe
studentsbeforestartingthegroupandattheendoftheeightsessions.Givingstudentsthesetests
meansallowsmetogatherdataontheeffectivenessofthegroupandinwhatareasIneedto
improvethecurriculumsoithasabiggerimpactonthestudents.
Standard18:Professionalism,Ethics&LegalMandates

Susan Alejandre
Themanualconsistsofadetaileddescriptionofwhatshouldbeincludedinthe
introductionsession.OneofthemostimportantinformationthatIincludedintheintroduction
sessionisconfidentialityandthethreeexceptionwhereIhavetobreakconfidentiality.Thethree
exceptionsareifastudentsaysthattheywanttoharmthemselves,harmsomeoneelse,andif
someoneisharmingthem.Ilearnedthatbecausethisgrouptouchesonverypersonalinformation
andabuseislikelytocomeupduringgroupandthatitismyethicalandprofessional
responsibilitytoreportittoCPSandinsurethesafetyofthestudent.Iwantthestudentto
understandthissothatifIhavetoreportanythingtheywontbeupsetwithmesinceIhad
alreadyinformedthemaboutmyresponsibilitybeingamandatedreporter.
Reflection
ThiswasoneofmyfavoriteassignmentsfromalltheassignmentsIhavehadtodointhe
schoolcounselingprogram.Idefinitelyputalotofworkandcriticalthinkingintothemanual.I
wantedthecurriculumtobefunandtoconsistofrelevanttopicsthatfosteryouthneedsupport
in.ThroughmyresearchIcouldnotfindcurriculumthatwasalreadycreatedspecificallyforthe
fosteryouthpopulation.Icanseemyselfusingthiswithagroupoffosteryouthatmyfuture
school.OneoftheconsofthisassignmentwasthatIwasnotabletoimplementthegroup
curriculumatmyschoolsiteanditisnotevidencebased.Duringmypracticumyeartherewere
nofosteryouthenrolledatPotterJuniorHighsoIwasntabletousethecurriculumandgather
dataonwhetheritwaseffectiveornot.