Topic > Foster Care System

IndexAnalytical OutlineIntroductory ParagraphWorks CitedAnalytical OutlineEQ: ​To what extent do mental health problems play a role in the well-being of children in foster care in the United States, and how can facilities, such as schools, better support these children? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Introductory Paragraph Can you believe that a human being can be overlooked? Because Zymere Perkins was, the boy… had been slapped up to 20 times in a row in front of witnesses, beaten with a belt, put in cold showers and denied food as punishment. In addition to bruises and broken bones, he was missing all of his front teeth. But apparently, all his mother had to do was tell the city's social workers that he had fallen - down the stairs, off the scooter, whatever - and they would close the case. The foster care system has existed for over a century. . The decision to create a foster care system in the United States began in New York when Benjamin Eaton was considered the first child in need of a home. There are many children who move in and out of the foster care system, and even though only a few of these children are abused and neglected, it is still not humane for them to experience this treatment. While the foster care system means that these children are well treated and noticed by the system, there are many children who suffer from mental health issues that go unnoticed. Having children have a singles school to go to during their time in foster care can improve their overall wellbeing. Which can put their well-being at stake. The primary goal of the foster care system is to find permanent homes for children in the system with the government leading this effort and each year the number of children in the system varies. The foster care system places more than 500,000 children in their care, most of whom have been victims of some type of abuse. This leaves children in foster care at risk of long-term problems later in life. This is significant because enduring these traumatic events during the early years of development can ultimately prepare the child for future problems. Knowing that the system has over 500,000 children, one can only imagine that not all of these children will have a forever home, as many of them age out of the system. For children who go through the system process, it can take months and sometimes years for the adopter to be approved, and by then they are losing valuable time that could help them get their lives back on track. The task of the system is to inform the child's relatives when the child is placed in foster care, and if the child has siblings, it is mandatory to keep them all together. Many relatives have neither the income nor the means to raise these children, fortunately the state is willing to help families and provide them with money. The aid provided by the state is not at all sufficient to raise a child. While it is important that there is help for these children if needed, it is more important that the home in which they are currently placed is safe for their well-being. Foster Care Placement: What happens in the placement process and what are some obstacles these children face when they return home? The placement process can take many different turns because each child in the system is different and has their own background.A. Placement issues due to children's age, race or ethnicity, or even children with disabilities. Evidence: Racial inequality is a major part of the foster care system. 1 in 10 African American children spends about twice as muchcompared to white children. Children with special needs are neglected in the system. For children who reach age 6 or older, it is twice as difficult for them to be adopted, grow up, and become attached to a new family, school, and home.B. Parental neglect. Evidence: A 7-year-old boy in Brooklyn has a couple of incidents at home, and social services were well aware but did nothing to intervene until she died. At his death he weighed less than 45 pounds. Under-Trained Social Workers: Are social workers receiving the right amount of education and evaluations during their time in the workforce, and are they keeping up with changes in the foster care system over the years? Social Workers Strategies for keeping these students safe will not always remain the same if the foster care system is constantly evolving. Social workers are not fully investing in cases. Evidence: There are patterns shown in recent data; social workers should study mathematics and statistics to make it easier to resolve patterns in the system's data.B. Children return to unsuitable parents or are placed with adoptive parents. Evidence: Many children are taken away from their parents for no deep reason, while other children in other homes are neglected multiple times and yet are not taken out of their homes. This is why New York is taking action to publicize and expand its child abuse hotline to be available to children in need. Health Issues/Wellbeing: What health issues do foster children face on a daily basis and what helps them overcome them? Health issues affecting children in the foster care system can be very broad due to the many recurring events in these children's lives. TO. Child development over time in foster care. Evidence: The more time these children spend in foster care due to their exposure to violence, child maltreatment and other traditional childhood experiences has been found to cause them to experience PTSD. This places these abused and neglected children at high risk of not forming a nurturing, protective, and trustworthy relationship with anyone who enters their lives.B. Physical health problems if the child has a handicap. Evidence: Some of these children face life-threatening handicaps as they enter and exit the system, making their current well-being unstable. Mental Health Issues: Why do mental health issues play a huge role in the lives of children in foster care? Mental health problems are the main source that prevents these children from moving forward because they are so damaged from all the trauma they have experienced.A. It is mentally taxing for these children to feel unwanted because they will not have a forever home. Evidence: B. Not being able to live a normal life with your birth parents and only being able to visit them can be a hard blow. Evidence: Many children struggle because their parents are incarcerated, which causes the child to be in and out of foster care. For this reason, older children may develop PTSD if they have been repeatedly traumatized and often have difficulty interacting with others. As for newborns, their well-being varies depending on the type of trauma they have experienced, which could be chronic stress, under little threat, freeze response and escape response. External organizations/programs: How do external organizations/programs help children in foster care, and how do these organizations/programs benefit the children? Both external programs CHAMPS and Treehouse want the best prospects for these children, thereforethey have many possible ways to help them. A. The CHAMPS organization wants to improve the foster care system. Proof: CHAMPS (Children Need Extraordinary Parents) is an organization that wants to improve the foster care system. The CHAMPS organization wants to publicize stronger federal policies and make sure children receive the best care possible at home, they want to change the public eye on the foster care system because it is seen as negative.B. The Treehouse program works one-on-one with these children to further their education. Evidence: Washington State has a program called Treehouse that helps foster children plan their lives after high school and the foster care system. The treehouse program arranged transportation for students who were no longer in the same neighborhood as before. They knew the students still needed guidance on their journey to progress, so they found a way to meet with them one-on-one again. Schools: How does having a stable education in school benefit the child in foster care and what does it entail? does it mean to them? ​A stable education for these children gives them the opportunity to focus on learning and excel, ​which makes them feel normal.A. What happens when the child constantly moves to different schools. Evidence: A child placed in foster care at age 12 spent his next two years in and out of 12 different schools. Because of this, the child lost valuable learning concepts because he constantly changed schools and could not remember anything he would have learned.B. Benefits/outcomes of staying in the same school. Evidence: Jimmy, a student from North Carolina who is a foster child, describes his experience at school as being unable to feel anything, he was more worried about having enough food and clothing to survive the day. He realized that when he was finally placed in a school for a while, he noticed that his handwriting was improving, he was able to concentrate and learn. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayC. How school counselors can help students stay on top of school and personal life issues. Evidence: Personal connections with adults in the school can encourage students to do better in school so they can see their academic potential, and realizing it can actually improve their well-being. Counselors who recognize good behavior or good grades can really improve their self-esteem. Works Cited Alexander, Rachel. “The state program guides foster children toward the milestone of adolescence.” April 2018. The Spokesman-Review. December 3, 2018 http://www.spokesman. com/stories/2018/apr/07/state-program-drives-foster-kids-toward-teen-miles/"Children adopted from foster care: Child and family characteristics, motivation for adoption, and well-being." ASPE Research Brief, May 30, 2011. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. November 11, 2018. https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/children-adopted-foster-care-child-and-family-characteristics-adoption-motivation-and-well-beingChild Welfare Information Gateway. “2016 Reliance Statistics.” Children's office. ​Washington, DC, 2017. US Department of Health and Human Services. November 1, 2018. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster/Developmental Issues for Young Children in Foster Care.​ 2001. Academy of Pediatrics. September 21, 2018. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/106/5/1145“History of Foster Care in the United States.” The national voice of adoptive parents. NFPA. February 2, 2019. 2018.#