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The foster care system and its effects
The foster care system and its effects
Effects on children within foster care
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Laura Finley states, “Indeed, restoration of the family is achieved in over half the cases of foster care, according to federal statistics. Where this is not possible, permanent adoption is the goal with about twenty percent of foster children. Other children are simply waiting until emancipation…” (Jacobs and Finley). The issue with this view on the foster care system is that its completely sugar coated.
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss and explain the daunting task of a case manager in the foster care system. Foster care children can be from the ages of infant to their teens. The state removes the children from their parents or families due to abuse, abandonment, or parental incar-ceration. Some of them are orphans that are in the custody of the state. Many of them have expe-rienced adversities and exposure to harsh environments at a very young age.
This essay will explore the state vs. federal jurisdiction of the foster care system, examining the structure of foster care at the state level, the structure of foster care at the federal level, comparison of state
There are many flaws that come with the intrusion of these services. Many families across the country have been torn apart for one reason or another due to circumstances. The homes these children are placed in are oftentimes just as bad, or even worse than the ones they were taken from. Many children within the foster care system suffer from sexually, mentally, and physically abusive families that do as much, if not more harm, than the ones they had previously came from.
Society typically perceives the foster care system in a negative light, viewing these children as problematic and troubled. Even though some children may fall through the cracks, there are some positive outcomes as well. In the study conducted by Shea, most of the participants indicated that they had spoken with a social worker, peer, or supervisor about their past experiences leading up to being placed in foster care (Shea, 2014). Some of those experiences caused them to have feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and admitted that having someone to talk to helped to ease these feelings. It is important that the social worker actually listen to the needs of the children without interrupting them by quoting their own experiences or trying
Many of the placements are done to carry out the systems policies and other placements are done if foster parents don’t meet the child needs. Children are less likely to be moved many times if a foster family is prepared to meet the child 's challenging needs. The foster care system is also in need of more social workers that will ensure that the child is placed in a good family so that they are not moved several times. Plenty of placements are also done if the child is initially placed in short-term care but needs to be moved to long term. However, the more changes a child experiences decreases the chance of them returning home or being adopted.
In her article "Providing Therapy to Children and Families in Foster Care: A Systemic-Relational Approach," Catherine Lewis explores the benefits of a systemic-relational approach to therapy for children and families in the foster care system. Lewis has worked in the foster care system as a caseworker and caseworker supervisor for over 15 years as well as a family therapist. A systemic-relational approach considers the complex and often challenging dynamics that exist within the foster care system and works to address these issues collaboratively and holistically (Lewis 438). Through this approach, Lewis argues that therapists can help foster children and families build stronger relationships, develop greater resilience, and navigate the many challenges and transitions that come with life in the foster care system by “establishing a working relationship with the parents, holding a maintaining the relational stance” (Lewis 446). Ultimately, this can lead to improved mental health and well-being for foster children, and a greater likelihood of successful outcomes both during and after their time in foster care.
a. Foster parents can have an impact on the lives of a foster child by giving them a safe place to stay where they can feel loved and cared for. Foster parents can also provide the love and support that these children need especially if they came from an abused or neglected home. According to (Hasenecz, 2009) there have been several shocking stories about children being abused and neglected while in foster care or even worse reports of social workers who knew of the abuse and neglect and failed to report it or do anything about
(DFPS ) Even though this is the goal for most child welfare programs, 3 foster-to-adopt parents seem to get caught up in the excitement and euphoria of their happy little family, 3 thus forgetting the program’s main intent of reunification. The statistics, 6 based on FY2010, 6 shows the following: “208,000 children were in foster care, 2 53,000 were adopted. Of those adopted, 53% were placed with foster parents, 2 32% were placed with relatives, 2 and 15% were placed with non-relatives.” (DFPS
The foster care systems has and will always be a part of society. The idea of a foster care system has always been around, even if it was not properly attained in the past. There has also been other methods to try to find placement for children with no or bad homes, for example the orphanage train, living with widows or living house to house in a community. Now in today’s time, we have an organized system of foster care with two different types of homes for children. For example we have group homes, which is a care facility that houses six or more children at a time.
Have you ever thought about how it feels to be ripped out of the only place that you know as home? To get no explanation of why your parents just did not want you anymore? Not a lot of people think about this. Usually, the only people that do think about this is children that are experiencing or have experienced this problem. The children’s rights website stated that, “On any given day, there are nearly 428,000 children in foster care in the United States.”
If anti abortion laws in the United States follow through, there will be flooding in foster homes, and it will eventually lead to an increase of allegations from foster homes. The lack of staffing for foster homes also has a factor in the housing and the well-being of youth under the age of eighteen. The toll that these allegations take on the children in question is unacceptable and should never be taken lightly. The government is not taking these problems seriously.
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.
Reunification As was previously stated, when children come into foster care reunification is the primary permanency goal to achieve after being removed from their homes (Carnochan, Lee, & Austin, 2013). Reunification or sometimes refer to as family reunification, is when the legal guardianship has been transferred back to the biological parents/or caretakers from whom the child was removed from upon leaving foster care (Balsells et at., 2013; Boldis & Tomlinson, 2014). Carnochan, Lee and Austin’s article further defines reunification as the services provided to the children and their families in order for the child to be safely returned their families (2013). Many studies have indicated that families helping families, increases the likelihood of reunification between the biological family and the foster youth (Crampton, Usher, Wildfire, Webster, & Cuccaro-Alamin, 2011; Dolan, & Grotevant, 2014; Léveillé, & Chamberland, 2010).
It also builds a strong emotional bond between the foster parents and the children; likewise, visibly benefiting both parties in the process. The state also provides compensation to the foster families. There are some disadvantages also. First, both foster parents/family and children undergo the pain of separation, once and if a child is reunited to his family of origin. The stipend for foster parents is not enough to provide for the overall needs of the child.
