Effects of foster care

Effects of foster care

Student`s name

Institution of Affiliation

Instructor

Course

Date

Effects of Foster Care

“The healthier relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change, and the most powerful therapy is human love.” These are the words of Doctor Bruce Perry regarding children in the foster care system. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is a grave amount of fostered youths will find themselves homeless and unemployed. According to iFoster, more than 20,000 foster kids surpass the age range and are removed from the foster care system between the ages of 18 – 21 each year. These young individuals are left to figure out a way to support themselves without the benefit or assistance of an adoptive family. With the number of kids steadily increasing, it directs me to question what are the effects one may endure from the foster care system? Is there a cause-and-effect tied to fostered children in the United States?

What are the effects one may endure from the foster care system? Relationships are the building block of any child`s life, the sense of love and care is amazing guidance for any child growing up as it reassures them and affirms their place in the world. Unfortunately, this sense of love and care is a grim lack as the harsh reality is that most foster youths will never experience this due to the lack of having a family (Lawrence et al., 2006). The psychological impact of being in a foster care system and just how negatively affected a child can get in being in such kind of a system (Lawrence et al., 2006) is undoubtedly that is all too common. If the goal of the foster care system is to greatly improve a child`s well-being, then this system has surely failed to take into account that a child`s psychology and mental health are part of their needs that should be protected. Although most studies take into account a child`s psychological state, other studies (Cook, 1994) take a different approach altogether on just what is of importance to a child.

Having a brief look and insight on a child`s time in the foster care system and just how said child is affected significantly greatly in their future as adults (Cook, 1994) is something that cannot be ignored. Certain studies give a grim understanding of just how a large amount of fostered youths will find themselves homeless and unemployed. According to iFoster, more than 20,000 foster kids surpass the age range and thus in all likelihood end up removed from the foster care system without any form of support or means of a living. Additionally, other studies (Doyle, 2007) have continuously been detrimental to showing us just how unfair the foster care system can be especially when it comes to helping the affected foster care children. This study not only shows us the negativity of such a system to the future foster care youth in terms of unemployment it also shows other negative aspects such as teen pregnancies and delinquencies which further hinder the development of an individual in today’s society (Doyle, 2007). Young adults who come out of the foster care system have a hard time figuring out a way to support themselves without the benefit or assistance of an adoptive family (McDonald, 1996).

Studies further add to the matter of individuals being unable to support themselves after the foster care system. Using the review of 29 studies done between 1960 and 1990 we can see that the foster care system has not changed as much if at all and the key underlying problems have generally remained the same (McDonald, 1996). It seems that children not raised in the foster care system are generally much better and well off than individuals who come out of the foster care system. Studies take in the continual complexity of the foster care system in America but their general finding and the key message is on the unfairness of the foster system to greatly help individuals in the later years of their adulthood to cope up with the challenges of an ever-growing society than requires people with specific skills.

Is there a cause and effect tied to fostered children in the United States? This remains an argumentative and vastly unanswered question about this system. Although, researchers such as (Pecora et al., 2006) greatly agree and give a cause and effect link to foster care and a huge number of unemployed foster youths the argument remains the same. This research explores the long-term consequences of being in the foster care system on an individual’s life and later on as they grow to be adults (Pecora et al., 2006).

Different Research Opinions

Although most materials and references used here give a one a kind conclusion on what kind of effects one may endure from the foster care system we also see that different materials contradict one another (Pecora et al., 2006) which although give similar accounts, on how the foster care system might not be an adequate means for solving most issues of children without basic needs, still show that the weight of responsibility of who is to be blamed for such a system is unknown. Although one research blames the foster investigators in charge of taking care of the children (Doyle, 2007) another one blames the system in its entirety (Pecora, 2006). This divide in opinion although not great creates a situation in which it becomes almost hard if not impossible to find an adequate means to tackle this situation. To find a concluding factor in both references we see that the results are always the same since the child is the number one individual who eventually suffers from this rigid system.

Other arguing essays have a key problem of the child suffering in the end (Cook, 1994), still have a differing opinion on the cause. One research blames the system for creating such an inadequate situation (Cook, 1994) while another one says that the psychological impact is what causes the child`s eventual failure (Lawrence et al., 2006) and lack of development both still showing that the eventual outcome is a young adult unable to be competitive in a functioning society.

Conclusion

Is there a cause and effect tied to foster children in the United States is the key question being targeted and examined here? As we can see from our given study and the consensus of references utilized here there is no doubt that the foster care system is in dire need of implementing systems that further help a child rather than play a hindrance to their eventual growth. The common feature of all these studies is clear. A large number of the unemployed and psychologically challenged are children either raised or had no choice than being put in a foster care system. Should this common trend be allowed to continue then the eventual number of unemployed citizens and unproductive individuals will continue to rise with no signs of such a number going down anytime soon.

The situation need not be that dire since this situation may be corrected to create a means by which all foster care youths can be productive adults soon. Taking into consideration the materials and references used in this paper we can see that there are key underlining problems that we can easily tackle to ensure that we create a better foster care system. One such problem that can be tackled is the psychological impact of this system on the foster care system. By implementing and creating ever more inclusive programs we can significantly turn this situation around and thus make the foster care system a more reliable means by which children can feel loved and cared for rather than a place they feel scared and caged. To develop another more useful measure more research is required in this field if we are to at all help the current foster care children in need of a better future.

Children are our future and certainly the only thing that matters. Their well-being stands greater than anything else and hence a system that cares for this should always be held to the highest standards to ensure that their future is even brighter.

References

Cook, R. J. (1994). Are we helping foster care youth prepare for their future? Children and Youth Services Review, 16(3-4), 213-229.

Doyle Jr, J. J. (2007). Child protection and child outcomes: Measuring the effects of foster care. American Economic Review, 97(5), 1583-1610.

Lawrence, C. R., Carlson, E. A., & Egeland, B. (2006). The impact of foster care on development. Development and Psychopathology, 18(1), 57-76.

McDonald, T. P. (1996). Assessing the long-term effects of foster care: a research synthesis. Child Welfare League of America, Inc., c/o CSSC, PO Box 7816, 300 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison, NJ 08818-7816.

Pecora, P. J., Kessler, R. C., O’Brien, K., White, C. R., Williams, J., Hiripi, E., … & Herrick, M.A. (2006). Educational and employment outcomes of adults formerly placed in foster care: Results from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study. Children and youth services review, 28(12), 1459-1481.