Children in Foster Care

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Recommended: The foster care system and its effects

Many children and young adults have been placed under a foster care system. Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state certified caregiver known as a " foster parent". The placement of the the child is usually arranged through the government or a social service agency. Imagine yourself, or even someone else being separated from their families. Having that confused look on your face, tears running down your cheeks. Seeing a sad and terrified face expression that your mother or father is giving that you never once seen before. No one wants you to leave, you don't want to leave, but by having no other choice you're forced to go. You want to just run back and squeeze your parents real tight, for them to hold you close and never let go, knowing that you can't. It's scary to think how one day someone could be with their parents having a normal life, then the next day or even moment all of a sudden that happiness, joy and laughter is taken away from them , wiped clean. Although foster homes are intended to provide good care and safety for children, many of these homes trigger factors in children and young adults that result in depression, changes in character level, personality, and social life. Americans today tend to think of childhood in terms of the nuclear family. This meaning mom and dad, or just mom or just dad to take care of their kids. Reality is that things don't always work out this way. For any number of reasons, parents sometimes end up in a situation where they can't take care of their children, either temporarily or permanently. The reasons behind a child's placement into foster care vary widely. These several reasons are due to physical ... ... middle of paper ... ...ir mind away from the past, but sometimes it's hard and they can't help but to think about it. A child's greatest fear is to be unloved and abandoned by his/her parents. (Ginott, 161). The child needs to feel that he/ she is secure and being cared for by someone who is bigger and in control. (Segal, 79). Children want to feel very much wanted, and if they feel as though they are alone, this also causes depression. Sometimes they wish for their parents to be around, sadly knowing that they aren't there. Works Cited Ginott,, Haim G. (1995). Between Parent and Child. Avon Books, The Hearst Corporation, New York Segal, Julia and John Simkins (1993). My Mom Needs Me, Helping Children With Ill or Disabled Parents. Penguin Books, London, New York. "Foster Care". Dictionary.com Retrieved 2012-06-16 "Kinship care, Save The Children Uk". 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2013.

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