Does Foster Care Have an Effect in Children Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Socially?
Today, there are almost 438,000 children placed in foster care in the United States and more than 687,000 children were assigned to foster care during 2016 (Foster care, 2016). The research to date also indicates that children in the United States remain in foster care on average almost 2 years and at least 6% have been in foster care for 5 years or more (Foster care, 2018). Although there is a near consensus that foster care provides a superior environment for young people compared to institutionalization, a growing body of scholarship cites the adverse effect that the experience can have on children’s physical, mental, emotional and social growth. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the relevant literature concerning these issues, followed by what can be done to help these young people avoid these suboptimal outcomes. Finally, a summary of the research and key findings concerning the effects of foster care on children are presented in the conclusion.
Why is this topic important?
The early childhood through adolescent years are a critical formative period in young people’s lives, and they can experience a wide range of negative events and episodes even under the most nurturing environment with their biological parents. It is not surprising, then, that young people who have been placed in foster care settings can suffer from a wide array of physical, mental, emotional and social problems that may have lifelong implications. This topic is important because there is a consensus among social science researchers that additional studies in this area are needed, but what is known for certain at present is that young people who transition into adulthood from foster care are at increased risk of suboptimal outcomes and self-harming behaviors during their young adulthood (Foster care, 2018).
Furthermore, notwithstanding the prevailing belief that most foster care children are very young and therefore unable to appreciate or fully...
References
Almas, A. N., Degnan, K. A., Walker, O. G. et al. (2015, May). The effects of early institutionalization and foster care intervention on children’s social behaviors at the age of eight. Social Development, 24(2), 225–239.
Clausen, J. M., Landeverk, J., Ganger, W. et al. (1998). Mental health problems of foster children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 7(3), 283-329.
Foster care. (2018). Children’s Rights. Retrieved from http://www.childrensrights.org/news room/fact-sheets/foster-care/
Ghera, M. M., Marshall, P. J., Fox, N. A. et al. (2009). The effects of foster care intervention on socially deprived institutionalized children’s attention and positive affect: results from the BEIP study. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50(3), 246-253.
Stott, T. (2012). Placement instability and risky behaviors of youth: Aging out of foster care. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 29, 61–83.
Windsor, J., Benigno, J. P., Wing, C. A. et al. (2011, July/August). Effect of foster care on young children’s language learning. Child Development, 82(4), 1040–1046.
Market Orientation of Medical Diagnostic Units Dissertation for Master of Health Administration i. Introduction ii. Objectives iii. Description iv Administrative Internship v. Scope and Approach vi. Growth vii. Methodology viii. Hypothesis ix. Survey Questionnaire x. Research Design xi. Observation and Data Presentation xii. Test provided xiii. Analysis of findings Marketability of Patient Satisfaction Importance of Employee Satisfaction xiv. Conclusions and Recommendations xv. Bibliography xvi. Notes xvii. Appendices Market Orientation of Medical Diagnostic Units
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