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Foster Care Literature Review

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Literature Review Throughout the years, research has been conducted on the effects that foster care can have on children. In the United States alone, there are roughly 670,000 children who have spent time in the foster care system each year (“Foster Care,” 2017). Of those children, approximately 33% of them age out of foster care system. Studies then show that the foster care system has had varying effects on the children who are/have been a part of it. In many cases, studies have noted the effects of attachment for children in foster care. Additionally, research had also compared the effects of foster care to that of institutionalized care in which foster care proves to present more suitable environment for children. Ultimately most …show more content…

Without this attachment, children can often experience varying emotional, social, and behavioral effects. In contrast to children placed in institutional care, those who were formerly in foster care “had a higher percentage of secure attachment representations and a lower percentage of insecure representations” (Nowacki & Schoelmerich, 2010, p. 556). Another study had also found a correlation between the presence of social support mental health in youth who are aging out of foster care and who were victims of maltreatment. The youths who were perceived to have higher levels of social support showed fewer symptoms of depression (Salazar, Keller & Courtney, 2011). In addition, research has examined the adult outcomes of children in foster with at least one mentoring relationship. These relationships have created numerous positive outcomes for the youth as they enter adulthood, which includes increased educational attainment, improved self-esteem, improved functioning in a relationship, etc (Ahrens et al., 2011). By establishing this type of relationship, children feel more inclined to seek out and/or accept help from the person during a vulnerable time for them. Forming relationships and bonds can be critical to the development of a child, especially one who has been a part of the foster care

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