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The Pros And Cons Of Children In The Foster Care System

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Over 600,000 children in the United States are in the foster care system. Reasons include, abuse, neglect and abandonment. These children lack nurturing environments and stable homes. Children within the foster care system have more mental, physical and developmental problems. It is imperative to understand the challenges children entering the foster care system are exposed to. The system works best when children are provided nurturing, and short-term care until they can be placed back home safely or a permanent adoptive family. For many children, however, the stay is longer, with 30% remaining in temporary care for over two years. Staying in the system is detrimental to the child’s well-being. The foster care system is an unsuccessful intervention for children that cultivates development, health and mental issues.
Where a child ends up being placed is determined by child welfare and the judicial system. However, how the placement is decided should depend upon a child social history, mental history and where they are developmentally. Caseworkers are often overloaded which leads to the children being placed in the wrong type of homes, which means the children are moved frequently. When children are frequently moved, it leads to disruptions that make it hard to form stable attachments, and hinder social and emotional development. There is a greater concern for children under the age of five, which is the largest group in foster care, considering the role strong and stable

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