One of the most asked questions is how children and adolescents develop. Throughout time, multiple aspects of the typically developing youth have been answered, however much of this research fails to consider how adolescents in the relatively new system of foster care are affected. What can be said of youth who do not have steady parental influence and other factors in their lives? One may assume they are affected negatively, but is that really the truth? Through the research and observational studies of psychologists and sociologists Susan P. Farruggia and D.H. Sorkin (2009), Jill M. Waterman (2013), and Erin Rebecca Singer and Stephanie Cosner Berzin (2015), living in foster care for any number of years has a significant influence on a youth’s …show more content…
physical, emotional, and social development. In the article “Health risks for older US adolescents in foster care”, authors Farruggia and Sorkin outline a research study they conducted particularly detailing the effects foster care has on the physical development of adolescents in foster care. The study was conducted with US adolescents in the Los Angeles County foster care system, using both interview and questionnaire methods to measure this. The article also notes that many children enter foster care with health problems because of abuse and neglect before being taken out of their home, giving explanation for why these youth are already at a disadvantage even before entering the foster care system. Despite this fact, many youth (particularly girls) reported poorer health when not in the care of birth family members. Gender disparities continue to appear throughout the study, with females “reporting lower overall health as compared to young men” (Farruggia and Sorkin, 2009). This remains consistent throughout the lifespan. There is also a racial disparity in the physical health of foster care youth, with more white females displaying chronic health conditions than those of Latina or African-American descent. While there is a gender and race difference in the physical development of youth in foster care, there are little discrepancies in health-compromising behavior in adolescents. The article concludes that adolescents placed with kin have fewer health care problems because there is likely to be much more knowledge about the youth and his or her family’s health history, therefore making it easier to view red flags. This is also due to youth in foster care bouncing throughout numerous homes, leaving a paperwork trail and often making the youth not be in a home long enough for his or her caregivers to notice signs of chronic conditions. Through this, it appears to be critical for youth to maintain strong relationships with at least one adult in their lives, whether that be a family member, foster parent, or case manager. Unfortunately, this does not always happen with youth in foster care due to an increasingly high number of those entering. There is also a great difference in the cognitive development of youth in foster care.
This is shown through the article “Pre-Placement Risk and Longitudinal Cognitive Development for Children Adopted from Foster Care”, in which the author states the effects of foster care on youth’s cognitive development. While the previous study was held using only self-reported research methods, this article outlines a study that used both self-reporting methods (from both adoptive parents and the youth who participated in foster care), interviews, and measurements from standardized tests. While the study suggested that while being in foster care had a detrimental effect on youth’s cognitive development, their environments before and after this time in their lives also made an impact. One such difference in environments and life experiences is if youth were abused or neglected before reaching the foster care system. Surprisingly, children who were abused before foster care displayed higher cognitive development than those who were not abused once they were adopted. However, most adolescents who are adopted after foster care demonstrate higher cognitive development, as shown through the finding that “children grow in cognitive development when they are placed in stimulating and nurturing adoptive homes…with growth in the first year after the adoptive placements was striking, with changes of 10 or more points for 37% of the sample” (Waterman et al., 2013). With this information, it can be assumed that individual attention is key in adolescents’ cognitive development. Despite this, adolescents who partook in foster care often still experienced reduced cognitive development and displayed higher educational needs. This possibly stems from the fact many youth in foster care did not receive enough individualized attention to work on educational needs, putting them further and further behind as years went on. This suggests that while having proper surroundings can be beneficial to
adolescents, it cannot always make up for years spent in detrimental environments. However, adolescents placed in loving environments receive overall cognitive benefits than those who are not. Not surprisingly, having a reduced amount of development affects how youth in foster care transition into adulthood. Through the article “Early Adult Identification Among Youth with Foster Care Experience”, Singer and Berzin examine the effects of not having consistent care throughout childhood and adolescence affects adulthood of those who were in foster care. The authors define adulthood as “having three criteria: making one’s own decisions, accepting personal responsibility, and financial independence” (Singer and Berzin, 2015). Similarly, to the research that had been previously reviewed, this study also used comprehensive questionnaires and interviews to view how adults who had been in foster care during adolescence are faring in their adulthood. Through this, there is the conclusion that the effects of foster care have permanent and often negative effects on youth who participated in foster care, particularly those who were in it for several years. One such example of this is the fact youth in foster care often having difficulties attaining higher education or even high school degrees, based on the fact they had limited access to the capital needed to receive these. Perhaps the most notable conclusion from this study is the fact that many youth in foster care consider themselves to be adults and act as adults before they are at legal adult status, possibly stemming from the fact many make adult decisions about placement and adoption options. This most certainly falls into the negative consequences of foster care on youth. By forcing adolescents to grow up too fast, they are unable to properly develop their identities and consider what they want out of life when they grow out of the foster care system. While foster care may be a necessary arrangement in our society, there is no denying there are multiple negative effects on the development of youth in foster care. These articles all provide different amounts of evidence of these effects, associating being in foster care with having a reduced amount of social, emotional, and physical development. Farrugia and Sorkin show that adolescents in foster care display multiple aspects of detrimental physical health, divided into different gender and race categories. The second study, as conducted by Waterman, notes that while cognitive development can dramatically increase when a child is out of foster care, it often cannot make up for years without proper support and attention. Finally, Singer and Berzin’s study shows long-term effects on youth development, particularly in social and emotional development. While all three studies focused on different domains of development (and therefore cannot provide multiple backings on one aspect of development), all three studies reach a similar conclusion about how youth in foster develop: not at the same or similar rates to their peers. Taking this into consideration, I would hypothesize that partaking in the foster care system (severity pertaining on how much time was spent in it) leads to multiple effects that are detrimental to the development of youth throughout adolescent and adulthood.
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
Another obstacle Olivia and Sabreen encounter is the lack of adult support in the foster care system. Family support is a crucial variable mediating the influence of neighborhood on a child’s development (Burton & Jarrett, 2000); nonetheless, Olivia and Sabreen receive little support and guidance and must quickly survive on their own.
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.
The foster system intends to place children in homes where they will remain until they can find permanent residence with an adoptive family. Sadly, this is often not the case with children placed privatized homes and they end up bouncing from home to home until they eventually age out of the system forced to enter into adulthood with no permanent family ties. Over the past decade the number of teenagers aging out of the system without a permanent family has risen from 19,000 to 23,000 per year. These teenages enter into the world without emotional, relational, or financial support and therefore possess a greater risk of poverty as well as low academic achievement. This causes many of these teenagers to rely on government benefits during their adult lives which places a heavier burden on taxpayers. The National Council for Adoption reported that the 29,000 teenagers that aged out of the system in 2007 will cost over one billion dollars per year in public assistance and support. These teenagers who age out are also found to be at greater risk of concerning behaviors, such as: creating disciplinary problems in school, dropping out of school, becoming unemployed and homeless, becoming teenage parents, abusing alcohol and drugs, and committing crimes. The privatized system does not have the best interest of the children in mind and
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...
“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.
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
Foster care services is temporary placement for children who otherwise cannot remain safely in their homes. When children enter foster care they are placed in custody of the state through order of the court (Foster Care Services, 2016). The overall goal of foster care is to establish a permanent plan for the child. Federal laws have established that kinship care/relative placement, with a relative who has a long-term and secure commitment with the child and guardianship/custody with a relative or non-relative are two of the permanent plans that are explored if reunification is not able to be achieved (Foster Care Services, 2016).
This paper will view two theories as it pertains to human behavior and the development of adolescent youth who are in the foster care system. The two human behavior theories, which will be discussed, are the psychosocial theory and the labeling theory. The key concepts of each human behavior theory will be compared and contrasted, as it relates to the marginalized population, adolescent youth in foster care. The purpose of this paper is to view how youth in foster care interact in their social environment, at the adolescent stage of development where forming their identity is pertinent to completing that stage. While adolescents in their normative stage of development deal with identity formation, adolescents in foster care have to deal with
To many outsiders, the foster care system may appear to be a safe haven for those children that are abused or abandoned by their birth family. This is correct, but the system with which it is based, has many flaws. A background check is mandatory for all foster parents, but a test to see if a child 's temperament matches that caregiver 's parenting style, is not. Now, this is seen as a minor issue, but there is not enough evidence to support this. Plus, there are many other, much worse reasons, why the system is not perfect. Altogether, the foster care system and a multitude of its rules are flawed and may actually be negatively affecting foster children.
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.
Fox, N. H. (2011). The effects of severe psychosocial deprivation and foster care intervention on cognitive development at 8 years of age: findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project. Journal Of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 52(9), 919-928.
“Former foster youth are ten times more likely to be arrested than youth of the same age, race, and sex and one in four youth who age out of foster care will end up in jail within the first two years after leaving care.” (Family Court Review, M.A. Krinsky, pg. 250)