When a child is removed from their home, they are often removed from more than just their biological parents. Children are also removed from their friends, schools, and communities (Farineau & McWey, 2011). Being separated from a large portion of belongings that mean a lot to you could create a sense of loss and confusion. Confused on how to handle these new feelings, children may react in a maladaptive ways (Farineau & McWey, 2011). Zapata el al, believes that during these transitions the children frequently feel like they have no one to turn to for help (2013). Although they are surrounded by a large amount of new people, they have to build up a new sense of trust. When a child is put into foster care, it could be with someone they have never met. Having to adjust to new faces and housing, school is also a huge issue for these children. School dropout, run away, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide are all risk factors foster children have if these connections are not met. A study completed by Farineau and McWey in the 2011, Children and Youth Review, states there is substantial evidence that children who are victim of abuse and neglect are at high risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Behavioral problems often lead to delinquency and poor life choices. Thinking of way to help the children transition, “studies have shown that enhancing a sense of community through involvement in extracurricular activities may be one means of helping to decrease problematic behavior” (Farineau & McWey, 2011). By having the children active in extracurricular activities, it could help rebuild a sense of belonging and self-worth. Studies showing that children placed in foster care at an older again often find it difficult to fulfill these ... ... middle of paper ... ...n, J. P., Hong, J. S., Herz, D., & Hemandez, P. M. (2010). Kinship foster care and the risk of juvenile delinquency. Children and Youth Services Review, 32(12), 1823-1830. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.08.003 Stott, T. (2013). Transitioning youth: Policies and outcomes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 35(2), 218- 227. Woods, S. B., Farineau, H. M., & McWey, L. M. (Farineau, H. M., McWey, L. M., & Woods, S. B.) (2011). Physical health, mental health, and behaviour problems among early adolescents in foster care. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Child: care, health and development, 120-125. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01357.x/pdf Zapata, L. B., Kissin, D. M., Yorick, R. V., Kraft, J. M., Jamieson, D. J., Marchnanks, P. A., . . . Hills, S. D. (2013). Orphaned and abused youth are vulnerable to pregnancy and suicide risk. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(5), 310-319.
Unfortunately, “foster children who have moved multiple times often develop detachment disorder: they become unable to attach to others as a defense mechanism” (Babbel). Due to this, children are taught to keep to themselves. They fear that if they open up to people, then they will become more distraught when the time comes for them leave. Consequently, their outside persona becomes a shell, while their true emotions become trapped inside. As a result, they have trouble forming strong relationships later on in life. This can especially prove to be troublesome in marriages, where these ex-foster children act upon their training to build walls against others. Thus, this psychological damage can haunt foster care children for the rest of their
Claudett Killen, H. B., Claudett Monica, B., Wong M. C. S., Martinez A. N., Espinoza R.
This paper will contain research done about foster care, including a brief history and progressing along to the system today. This research interested me because it is a professional career option after graduation. I found both positives and negatives about the foster care system that children and foster parents go through on a daily basis. As the paper progresses I will be explaining these positives and negatives in more detail. Throughout the paper I will be referencing different scholarly sources that explain foster care in different ways. Overall, this paper will show different aspects that the general public may never know about foster care.
Forsyth, K., Taylor, R., Kramer, J., Prior, S., Richie, L., Whitehead, J., Owen, C., & Melton, M.
The concept of aging out of foster care is referred to those children who are within the state foster care system and who are still in the system upon reaching the age of eighteen, twenty-one or have graduated from high school (Craft, 2014). The causes of children aging out of the foster care system is usually due to the children not finding a permanent home with an adoptive family, or the state for some reason has not reunited the child with his or her birth family before turning of age. Each state has a different regulation on what the age should be when a child ages out of the system. Many children are not ready to make the transition of being out on their own, therefore, some states have moved the age up to 21 years instead of 18 years (Craft, 2014). If the foster parents or parent chooses to keep caring for the child after he or she ages out, then the child is able to stay in their foster home until he or she is ready to make that step and move out. According to Cunningham and Diversi, many of the difficulties that foster youth face during their transition are known and read about in academic literature, but those who go through the process of aging out of foster care are largely missing from the academic literature (Cunningham & Diversi, 2013). Many children who are in the foste...
There is nearly 400,000 children in out-of-home care in the United States right now (Children’s Right). Just about every day children are being shipped in and out of foster homes and group homes. Most people want the best for children in foster care and decide to take care of them until their parents can possibly recover. The foster care system can have both a negative or positive effect on children, foster parents, and biological parents because of the gaps in the system. Foster cannot not be avoided but the some aspects of the foster care system can be avoided if the missing gaps were filled.
Addressing the needs of children in foster care has been an issue that has tried to be addressed in many ways. In 2001, approximately 300,000 children entered the foster care system, with the average time spent in placement equaling 33 months (Bass Shields, & Behrman, n.d.). Statistically, the longer a child is in the foster care system, the greater number of placements they will have, and instability increases each year (Bass Shields, & Behrman, n.d). I recently read a novel by a girl who was placed into the system at age two, and by age 12 she had already experienced 14 different placements (Rhodes-Courter, 2007). Stories such as this one are not uncommon in the foster care system, especially if the child is a member of a sibling group or
One challenge young adult’s face after aging out of foster care is being provided the health care that they need. According to Paula K Jaudes and the American Academy of Pediatrics, children in foster care suffer from various health issues such as “developmental delays, mental retardation, emotional adjustment problems, chronic medical problems, birth defects, substance abuse, and pregnancy” (1170). It is unknown why children in care are at a higher risk for these problems, but numerous medical professionals believe it is caused by the circumstances that led them being put into foster care, and the experiences they had while in care (Jaudes 1170). Despite being inclined to face more medical problems than teenagers who grew up in nuclear families, there is a lack of support to help take care of these teens. One study conducted by...
The majority of children who would otherwise need foster care are in kinship care, which
Twenty-five percent of all participating adolescents experienced physical abuse, which is a nearly three-fold increase in risk compared to the general population. Prevalence rates in residential care, especially in secure care, were significantly higher than in foster care” (Euser, Alink, Tharner, Van IJzendoorn, Bakersman-Kranenburg, 2013). Children who are abused often act out in other forums. These are the children that become the bullies, or begin stealing from stores. They also have a decrease in grades. It is sometimes difficult for children who are abused before entering foster care, to find a home placement due to their background. Many foster families do not want to take a chance with an abused child who may begin to act out, especially with older children. Abused children many times, turn to drugs and alcohol. They become addicted to these things and when they become legal age to live on their own, they become homeless. They do not have the skills and knowledge that they need to
“About two-thirds of children admitted to public care have experienced abuse and neglect, and many have potentially been exposed to domestic violence, parental mental illness and substance abuse” (Dregan and Gulliford). These children are being placed into foster care so that they can get away from home abuse, not so they can move closer towards it. The foster children’s varied outcomes of what their adult lives are is because of the different experiences they grew up with in their foster homes. The one-third of those other foster children usually has a better outcome in adult life than the other two-thirds, which is a big problem considering the high percentage of children being abused in their foster homes. Although, the foster care system has most definitely allowed children to experience the positive home atmosphere that they need there is still an existed kind of abusive system in the foster care program that is unofficial but seems to be very popular. Foster care focuses on helping children in need of a temporary stable environment; however, foster care can have negative impacts to the children and the people around them concerning the foster child going through the transition, the parents of the foster child, a new sibling relationship, and problems that arrive later influencing the foster child long-term.
Pabustan-Claar, J. (2007). Achieving permanence in foster care for young children: a comparison of kinship and non-kinship placements. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 16, 61-94.
Ornstein, R., Rosen, D., Mammel, K., Callahan, S., Forman, S., Jay, M., Fisher, M., Rome, E., &
Though foster care was originally established to help children who were orphaned, abandoned, neglected or abused, it has also caused problems for children. Agencies often have difficulty providing adequate, accessible, and appropriate services for the families in their care. (Chipungu and Goodley, pp. 76, 2004) This paper will examine the negative impact of foster care on children as a social problem and how it is viewed and understood. Also this paper would point out the key figures and groups that are affected by problem. This paper would analyze past attempts to better the foster care system and current policies that exist to face this problem. Throughout this paper the goals and objectives of the current polices would be addressed.
Pichert, J. W., Moore, I. N., Catron, T. F., Ross, J. C., Westlake, M. W., Karrass, J.,