Chapter 3: Contextual and Systems-Level Factors That Influence Outcomes for Families of Students With EBD

The purpose of this chapter is to emphasize key contextual and community factors that contribute to outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and their families. Collaborative partnerships between families and educators are critical; however, these direct interactions between home and school are shaped by more distal influences and systems, such as community-level supports and overarching sociocultural, economic, and policy factors.

This chapter examines four critical external factors: Understanding Family Stress Factors, The Foster Care System, Transition Planning for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families, and Early Behavior and Language Screening. The authors discuss these external factors as they relate to students with EBD and their families, and provide examples of how each factor can influence student outcomes.