Every Child Campus
Building a Foster-Friendly Community
There is no greater gift that you can give a child than a family.
Introduction
Belmont University aspires to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, known for forming diverse leaders of character, preparing people to solve the world’s complex problems, and being radical champions for people and communities to flourish Caring for vulnerable children and youth is an expression of our calling to serve the world and seek flourishing for all. Our President, Dr. Greg Jones, in a recent op-ed published in The Tennessean, called on leaders throughout the state to join this important work Belmont is committed to being a part of the solution
As our First Lady and Senior Fellow for Christ-Centered Visioning, Rev Susan Pendleton Jones, reminds us, Jesus blessed three things with his hands: bread, wine, and children Through our efforts to be an Every Child Campus, we hope to be a blessing to the children and families who are part of the foster care system.
In June 2023, Belmont University launched the Foster Care Team to enhance support for foster children, youth, and families within the Belmont community The sizable team consists of members with experience in Tennessee’s foster care system, including Belmont faculty, staff, and legal professionals, as well as input from community leaders like Lance Villio, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and Courtney Matthews, Director of Independent Living for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services In addition, numerous other community partners, such as Crowded Table, Church of the City, Every Child Tennessee, and others, have supported Belmont in its efforts to become an Every Child Campus
Becoming an Every Child Campus
Becoming an Every Child
Campus
The Team determined key elements required to making Belmont University an Every Child Campus:
01
Pipelines and Pathways for Flourishing
Connect early with children and youth in foster care or kinship placements to stimulate imagination of future opportunities.
02
Supportive Admissions Policies
Develop clear, accessible pathways for former foster youth to apply, including tailored admissions processes and potential waivers for application fees.
03
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Offer specific scholarships, financial literacy support comprehensive financial aid packages for foster youth to help address economic barriers.
04
Dedicated Support Services
Identify offices and staff focused on the needs of former foster youth to provide academic advising, counseling, and resources tailored to their unique challenges.
05
Mentorship Programs
Connect former foster youth with mentors who can guide them through the academic environment and offer crucial personal support.
06
Housing Assistance
Provide flexible housing options, such as on-campus housing and emergency accommodations, which is vital for stability.
07
Nurturing a Sense of Belonging
Encourage participation in campus organizations and activities to foster a sense of belonging and community.
08
Education and Training for Faculty and Staff
Provide educational opportunities and training on the unique experiences of youth in foster care to enhance understanding and support within the academic environment.
09
Health and Wellness Services
Provide accessible mental health services and wellness programs to address the emotional and psychological needs of former foster youth and for Belmont foster families.
10
11
University
Policy Revisions or Creation
Implement new, and revise existing, policies to allow foster families training and education, time-off for placement acclamation, and time during the workday to take required trainings to qualify to be a foster parent.
Collaboration with Foster Care Agencies, NGOs, and Churches
Partner with local agencies to increase and enhance resources and support for students transitioning from foster care and for support of our foster parents.
By integrating these key elements, universities across the country can become an Every Child Campus, creating an inclusive environment that empowers former foster youth to succeed academically and personally This also supports those in the university community who care for vulnerable children and youth.
To accomplish this work, the Belmont University Every Child Team is organized into five task forces:
In addition to this team, another team in the Belmont Innovation Labs is innovating for the future to address the aging out crisis in Tennessee.
Pathways to Belmont
Summer Camps
Summer Camps are a great way for Belmont to provide enriching opportunities for children and youth in foster care. We hope summer camps bring respite to foster families by providing safe, fun, and educational programs for the children in their care. We also hope this engagement will provide youth with a vision for positive pathways, such as college, in their future
Each year, Belmont faculty and staff offer 34 different summer camps for 2,400 children between the ages of 6-18. Each are offered for varying lengths of time and cost, and Belmont allots spaces in our campus for children and youth in foster care
To serve as many families as possible, Belmont partners with Tennessee Department of Children’s Services to help families benefit from state funding for summer camps. There is up to $900 per budget year available to every foster child. We prefer to longitudinally follow children with opportunities. Continuing connections to the same children, despite the family they are residing with or the group home in which they live, can be a stable presence in their lives
University You
University You is a two-week, on-campus opportunity for students to see themselves as college students and know that college is possible for each of them. The program focuses on rising juniors and seniors in the academic middle (2.75-3.24 GPA) who are first generation college students and need support to envision themselves attending college
There is no cost to the students for this professor-led program Students may earn at least 6 hours of university course credit and experience the academic expectations associated with university level work. It is designed to assist and help prepare students to be successful as they enter university life after graduating from high school
Belmont Preview Days
Belmont Preview Days are held throughout the year to provide opportunities for prospective students and their families to visit campus Belmont now hosts special visit events for foster families and Nashville group homes to ensure all unique needs for this population can be discussed in great detail
Collegiate Healthy Transitions
SCHOLARSHIPS
Belmont has scholarships that support former foster youth on our campus These include:
Bell Tower Scholars
This last-dollar, residential scholarship is available to high-potential students from the 12 Metro Nashville Public Schools and is focused on providing an support services that help students successfully transition from high school to Belmont.
Students with a foster care background are eligible for this scholarship
The scholarship is one of the top scholarships offered at Belmont and provides full tuition, room, board, books, and fees for four academic years (eight semesters) of continuous study.
While this scholarship is not designated specifically for former foster youth, it has been an effective funding and support pathway for several former foster youth in the program
Bernard and Betty Barkley Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to former foster youth in financial need in good academic standing.
Maddux Family Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship supports young men and women with demonstrated financial need who have a history of being in foster care or who come from a single parent household.
The fund supports students enrolled in a few select academic programs in the following priority order:
Inman College of Nursing
College of Medicine
Department of Physical or Occupational Therapy
College of Pharmacy
College of Education
Massey College of Business
The Raefsky/Heil Endowed Scholarship
The scholarship supports former foster youth who aged out after spending at least 5 years in care.
The Kevin and Cathy Turpin Foster Care Scholarship
The Scholarship pays full tuition, room/board, and books for a student identified by and enrolled at Belmont who has aged out of foster care
The Tennessee Hope Foster Child Tuition Grant
The grant helps to off-set costs for students.
Hope Transforms Campaign
Additionally, Belmont’s upcoming Hope Transforms Campaign will include a focus on scholarships and other financial needs to support former foster and other vulnerable youth These dollars will be used to bridge the gap between current funding sources and the cost of attendance, including room and board
Transfer Connection Scholarship Program BRIDGES TO BELMONT
Belmont University and Nashville State Community College formed a scholarship for Nashville State students Bridges to Belmont –Nashville State Transfer Connection program provides five graduating Nashville State students with a $15,000 scholarship toward a bachelor's degree from Belmont University
Beyond scholarship dollars, the Foster Care Team understands that former foster youth who are transitioning to college will need additional support Our Bruins Connections to Success is for new incoming freshman and transfer students and provides opportunities to help students successfully transition to Belmont. Students in the program move in a week before Welcome Week and take a course focused on healthy transitions
Bridges to Belmont Summer
The Bridges to Belmont Summer Academy Program provides additional support to Bell Tower Scholars, some of whom are former foster youth, who need support in bridging the gap between high school and college to begin their college career strong.
This 7-week program is free for Bell Tower scholars and provides on campus housing, a meal plan, and summer tuition for a foundational course for the cohort This allows students to become acclimated to campus and learn valuable study skills prior to the beginning of the fall semester It also allows incoming students to bond with their cohort and be a part of campus, increasing a sense of belonging and familiarity.
The program helps students grow and advance by focusing on four key areas of success:
Academic Success – We want students to engage in meaningful academic practices This means learning how to navigate processes such as faculty office hours or academic advisor visits to maximize their structural support. We also want to make sure students build strategies for things like notetaking, engaging in group studying, and understanding the challenges that conceptual learning presents.
Social Engagement – A significant question every student will face is how to make friends and establish a friend group We want to simplify this by talking through the friendship process and building a sense of belonging and community. We facilitate group activities which help students get to know one another and other influential students at Belmont. We will also take part in meaningful wellness practices to help students build their capacities for engagement and reflection
College Development – We understand students are constantly cultivating their beliefs and developing their skills. We want to highlight their strengths to teach them how they can develop their college experience Scholars meet campus leaders to learn how they make decisions and what got them to their positions of influence
Community Engagement – We want students to understand the impact and value service can have on a community. Through Summer Academy, Bridges students get the unique opportunity to do a community service project as a program
Fast Forward Program
Belmont’s Fast Forward program is dedicated to collaborating with and supporting postsecondary education and workforce development through innovative programs with other educational partners, nonprofit agencies, and employers The program aims to bridge the opportunity gap for underserved youth from low-income families to increase credential obtainment and prepare participants for academic and professional success.
Two new programs were created in partnership for recent high school graduates who are beginning their degrees at Nashville State Community College and Volunteer State Community College
A no cost two-week Fast Forward course was launched in 2024 at Nashville State’s North Davidson and Southeast campuses. Beyond course instruction, students were provided with career exploration opportunities, connections to potential employers, out of the classroom trips, and special guest speakers
A no cost ten-week, Fast Forward program was launched at Volunteer State Community College’s Gallatin campus in 2024. The program is to boost access to summer college courses for recent high school graduates. The program provides funding and support for tuition and books in order for students to enroll in up to three career and technical courses
The courses offered through the Fast Forward program align with the Tennessee Department of Education career clusters as well as embedded technical certificates and associate degrees and include computer applications, introduction to business and introduction to logistics management
Additional Wraparound Services
Belmont has launched a few other wraparound services to provide support to our students who are former foster youth These include:
Hiring a Student Success Coordinator dedicated to supporting these students (Jijan Strange, Assistant Director of Admissions Access, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion 615-460-8802 jihan.strange@belmont.edu)
Sending Welcome Boxes of Belmont swag from the Student Success and Flourishing Team to each incoming student who self-identifies as having aged out of foster care In addition
Adding a Foster Care Liaison to our team. While public K-12 schools require such a position to support foster care children and youth in their education, it is not a typical position for higher education institutions Angie Bryant, Associate Dean for Students, serves in this role to support our students who aged out of the foster care system and ensures they have what they need to flourish.
Academics: Education and Training
Designated academic courses with a focus on vulnerable children as well as service learning, internships, and other academic experiences are offered regularly at Belmont. These opportunities are packaged together to allow students to earn badges to show that they have committed to understanding and care needed to support foster care children and youth These concentrations are designed to prepare Belmont students to enter the workforce or other service roles that support foster care children and youth success.
Supportive Policies
To best support Belmont families who open their home and hearts to children and youth in need, we created a policy to ensure families have the time they need to devote to these oftentimes speedy placements In addition, new policies include language to support foster families and those with kinship placements. Existing policies when revised, will also include support language for these families.
Leave to Care for Vulnerable Children Policy
Policy Statement - As part of Belmont’s aspirational aim to be radical champions helping people and communities flourish, Belmont strives to support the diverse needs of employees and their families, including those who are caring for vulnerable children through foster parenting, kinship arrangements, and guardianship/custody arrangements Faculty and staff well-being is important, and we want to ensure that faculty and staff feel supported professionally and personally.
Policy - Belmont employees may take time off for absences related to caregiver arrangements that will not be counted against the employee’s vacation accruals The number of days will vary based on the specific placement needs but ordinarily will not exceed five working days in a sixmonth period. Employees should discuss these absences with their supervisors in as timely a manner as possible to ensure workloads and commitments are managed effectively
Employees may also take sick leave for children legally in their care Additionally, Belmont employees may take TN Key Certification classes during work hours when offered.
These updates work in conjunction with our flexible work arrangement policy and our dependents in the workplace policy, allowing Belmont employees to balance work and personal commitments while ensuring the operational/service needs of the University are met.
Faculty and Staff Wraparound Support
Belmont created a new process for employees with foster and kinship placements so our larger community can provide support, as needed, to these wonderful families.
Wraparound Services
Wraparound services are coordinated by employee volunteers:
This includes anything from providing meals and gift cards, respite care, time for chores or errands or childcare
A group of volunteer families from across our community provide new and gently used items for those who have a placement in their home.
Adam DeVries, Director of Crowded Table, is now offering training for our Wraparound Care Teams Moving forward, he will train teams for Belmont families that get their first placement following TN Key training.
Foster & Kinship Care Families Events
These events provide community and fellowship among foster families as they share a meal in the private dining room on campus. In addition to being fun family time, it builds a community of support and encouragement
Families receive tickets to on-campus events like basketball games.
Families are also given grocery and restaurant gift cards.
TN Key Training
Training is offered on Belmont’s campus by certified facilitators each semester.
This state required training is provided during work hours for families who would like to foster but are unable to manage after-hours training The Team hopes this will increase the number of families who foster.
Training is available for employees, students, and anyone in the community who would like to become a foster parent
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid is a national evidence-based training program that teaches members of the public how to help a person who is developing a mental health challenge, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health challenge or in a mental health crisis
This skills-based training covers mental health concerns such as: anxiety, panic attacks, depression, suicide prevention, non-suicidal self-injury, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorder.
Mental health first aid is intended to create a culture of mental health awareness by providing training on mental health conditions, information on mental health resources and information on services and resources available.
78 faculty members have been trained since June 1, 2024
Partnerships: A Collective Approach
The work of any Every Child Campus cannot be done without collaborating with many partners across the landscape Belmont’s many partners include:
Every Child TN mobilizes all Tennesseans to care for children, youth, and families before, during and after foster care. This is done through a network of agencies, advocates, and faith communities across the state focusing on preservation, recruitment, retention, and transition
The Governor’s Faith Based and Community Initiative (GFBCI) mobilizes Tennessee’s community-based organizations and faith-based organizations to unite with state government in serving vulnerable Tennesseans The GFBCI is focused on two priorities: the 8,000 vulnerable Tennessee children, youth, and families in foster care and the 10,000 men and women returning home after incarceration
Department of Children’s Services promoting safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families in Tennessee by providing highquality prevention and support services
AGAPE: Comprised of professional therapists, social workers, and support staff who provide counseling, crisis support, adoption and foster care services, and court advocacy assistance. They supply crisis foster care services for children whose parents face homelessness, unemployment, drug addiction, mental health crises, or incarceration AGAPE strives to reunite these families whenever possible, thereby preventing children from entering state custody. In addition, they connect children to “forever families” for both newborns and older children in foster care who are unable to return to their birth parents. They also recruit, train, and prepare Christian families to ensure a pool of committed and supportive foster homes
Jonah's Journey: (a.k.a. Palmer Home for Children) is a ministry to the families of those who are incarcerated by providing the children with an option for not having to enter the foster care system. This helps the children of incarcerated parents by preserving and strengthening positive family connections which in turn helps reduce recidivism and intergenerational involvement with the criminal justice system Instead of children entering state-run foster care, children born to incarcerated mothers, and children already born whose mothers face incarceration, can be placed in safe, healthy homes where the mothers can still maintain positive connections with their children until they the mothers are released
Crowded Table: Addresses the fact that half of foster families burn out after their first foster placement Crowded Table works with many churches to build Wraparound Care teams to support foster families
These partnerships are called “Tables,” which consist of a dozen individuals that commit to providing two years of practical support to a foster family: weekly meals, laundry service, grocery pickup and delivery and babysitting. When foster families are supported, they are 90% more likely to continue fostering Crowded Table provides training for the team and weekly check-ins with the Wraparound Care team leaders, as well as ongoing support for the Table and support for recruiting and training new Wraparound Care teams to support more foster families. This type of support lets potential Belmont foster families know they will be supported by their colleagues when they foster children.
Church of the City: Leads the country in church-based ministry to foster children They do not believe that all are called to foster or adopt but do believe that all are called to care about vulnerable children. Through their Wrap Around ministry, they create opportunities for others to serve foster families as they care for foster children that join their families. The Wrap Around Care teams of a dozen people provide monthly meals, build a relationship with a foster family, offer laundry support, and provide babysitting for the children to create space for a date night or alone time for the parents. The church also hosts a Wrap Around Care Closet.
Understanding the Systemic Challenge
BELMONT INNOVATION LABS
“Every Child Tennessee: Foster Youth in Tennessee 2024 Landscape Study - Transitioning to Adulthood”
In collaboration with the TN Governor’s Office for Faith-Based and Community Initiative and in partnership with TN DCS, Belmont Innovation Labs published a landscape study on foster care in Tennessee to identify actionable paths to address the complex challenges faced by Tennessee’s foster youth This is particularly timely as Tennessee saw the third-highest intake of foster care youth (ages 14 - 21) in the nation in 2021.
Phase one of this initiative led to three priority action areas that are key for the success of those aging out of the system Young adults need consistent supportive relationships, safe and affordable housing, and accessible mental health services. These together provide a pathway for success Phase two will develop specific impact and investment frameworks for each recommended focus area.
