Main Pecularities of Foster Care Homes

Foster care protects and takes care of children or teenagers who have been saved from their families following allegations of abuse and neglect or both. A foster care system is an arrangement where a minor is placed under a private home, group home or ward that has been certified by the government. The minors are taken care of by foster parents, and they are closely monitored by social service or government agencies (Geiger, 26). It is meant to provide a temporary guardianship to minors whose parents have died, under the influence of drugs or those who have neglected their parenting responsibility.

Foster care systems are very critical in ensuring the safety and comfort of children (Geiger, 27).

The state through the family court and children support services preside over all the legal decisions while foster parents take the responsibility of the daily care of the children. The systems have helped in reducing the number of street children and help them secure education (Geiger, 28). Most foster care parents are relatives of the children however some voluntary guardians are not relatives. As much as a foster care system have been very beneficial and useful in helping children have a comfortable life without their parents, there are problems associated with it (Geiger, 32).

Some of the issues related to foster care systems include lack of proper support to teens, high numbers of children resulting in financial challenges, inability to transition from a family set up among others. One of the problems associated with foster care systems is that the homes have a lot of rules and regulations that have been set up to guide and harmonize the system. In this regard, most children find them uncomfortable as they are used to a life of freedom with fewer regulations. They find it hard to adapt and might have difficulties during their first months or weeks in the homes (Geiger, 30). For instance, when they have critical issues to be addressed, they must go through a chain of people and protocols to find the right person to address their problems. Similarly, in the case of group homes there are a high inflow of children seeking refuge, and as a result, the attention and support given to them are quite low as compared to private homes. Also, the finances required to sustain the population is quite high and times become a challenge (Geiger,32).

Another problem associated with foster homes is that teens age out of the system without having proper support as they tend to go through a lot of issues that need to have a personal touch and approach which cannot be found in the foster care system. They age out because they are denied the ability to fully and permanently connected to the foster care home. Research indicates that forty percent of our youth do not complete high school. Foster care homes cause a lot of emotional and psychological harm to children when they stay in temporary shelters for a long time. The reasonable period that the minors are supposed to be in foster homes is estimated to be one and a half years before they are reunited with their parents or transferred to permanent adoptive homes. Research indicates that more than twenty eight thousand children stay for more than five years and this makes them have no emotional connection as they are subjected to several changes, and as a result the wellbeing of the child is not improved (Font, 102).

The lack of attachment to one home leads to social problems when interacting with other people, and this could affect them in relationships such as courtships and marriage among others. Additionally, foster care homes have been associated with a lot of child abuse, and as a result, some of them develop medical and psychiatric disorders. Research indicates that children in foster homes are likely to face 7-8 times abuse than those in the general population (Font, 104). As a result, most of them end up committing suicide or resorting to drug abuse (Dworsky et al.319).

Similarly, most foster care homes do not have a good reunification system, and when the minors leave the homes to unite with their parents, they may find difficulties. It is important to state that there are remedies to the issues and if they are implemented then foster care systems will serve the best interest of the children under this placement. One of the resources that can be applied includes getting enough financial support from the government to meet the growing demands of the large numbers of children in foster care homes (Dworsky et al.320).

Similarly, there should be enough trained staff in foster care homes because they can easily understand the issue facing the children and can offer possible solutions. Additionally, the government should establish more centers to avoid overpopulation in a few homes that are available.

In conclusion, it is important to note that foster care homes have a lot of challenges that need to be addressed. The issues include lack of sufficient finances to cater to the large population in the homes, lack of enough trained staff who can understand the needs of minors in the homes especially the teens. Children should also be given personalized support for them to have emotional and psychological stability. The reunification process should also be improved for a smooth transition from the foster homes to the biological parents. Despite the challenges associated with foster care homes, they have been of great help in reducing the number of street children over the past years.

Works Cited

1. Dworsky, Amy, Laura Napolitano, and Mark Courtney. “Homelessness during the transition from foster care to adulthood.”American Journal of Public Health103.S2 (2013): S318- S323.
2. Font, Sarah A. “Is higher placement stability in kinship foster care by virtue or design?.”Child abuse & neglect42 (2015): 99-111.
3. Geiger, Jennifer Mullins, and Lisa Ann Schelbe. “Stopping the cycle of child abuse and neglect: A call to action to focus on pregnant and parenting youth in and aging out of the foster care system.”Journal of Public Child Welfare8.1 (2014): 25-50.

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