...As of 2014, more than 650,000 children were involved in foster care. More than half of these children were non-white (Foster Care - Children's Rights). The numbers continue to rise as years go by and we are seeing these children become products of their environment. Once they age out of foster care nearly a quarter are homeless, sixty percent of males have been convicted of a crime, and more than two-thirds of women have a child (Fessler). With all of these children under the care of the states, these children will soon age out and become members of our society. With almost forty-seven percent of former foster children being unemployed (CR Staff) they are contributing nothing to society, thus making this a huge societal problem. So, what happens...
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...Children and adolescents in the foster care system are at a higher risk for psychopathology than other children in the general population in our country. In February of 2015, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced the bipartisan legislation to improve foster care services for thousands of vulnerable youth in America. This bill would improve health care and mental health services to children and young people in the foster care system to ensure that effective community-based options are available for them and their families. “Therapeutic foster care, often referred to as treatment foster care (TFC), is the evidenced-informed trauma-informed and highly effective placement of children and youth with serious medical,...
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...Characteristics and Environments of a Human Service Organization Paper Latischa Harris BSHS 462 April 8, 2012 Jane Flournoy Characteristics and Environments of a Human Service Organization Paper Kids Resource Network was founded in 1985, moving into El Paso County, Colorado in 1992. In 2001, Kids Resource Network (KRNCS) broke into two separate offices making KRNCS its own child placement agency. KRNCS works with many diverse children and families, who all have different and special needs. Working with children from ages 0-18 years of age and sometimes young adults up to the age of 21 should there be special circumstances. KRNCS works to reunify children in a safe and stable family environment. Should a child be unable to return to their biological family, KRNCS helps to locate and finalize a permanent placement. In addition to foster/adoptive success, the site also provides a wide variety of community services such as: CFI/mediation, therapy (individual, family, couples), home studies, contractual adoptive services inner and out of state, family preservation, supervised parenting time, classes such as CPR, first aid, and parenting classes, parent child interactional, and life skills. Rashida Gordon is a case worker for the Kids Resource Network of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rashida is a therapist, who uses client centered therapy as her approach. She believes in order to assist in behavioral changes; one must have emphasis in that one person to focus. KRNCS main...
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...HSM230] Tami Gannon [Patricia Reid] HSM230] Tami Gannon A Brighter Tomorrow A Brighter Tomorrow Once a child in foster care turns 18, they age out of foster care. Many of these teens have neither any one nor nowhere to go. About 20,000 teens will age of foster care every year. When most of these teen are forced out of the system, they don’t have the skills needed to live independently. They lack education, life skills, job skills, and coping skills. Pera,E. (2009) A Brighter Tomorrow (ABT) is a nonprofit residential program, which will provide these emancipated teens the skills needed to live independently. ABT offers educational classes that will assist the teens with getting their high school diplomas, or their GEDs. The facts show that 50% of foster children drop out of high school and on average, only 7-13% of foster youth enroll in higher education. ABT will also provide life skills courses, job readiness skills, and skills needed to run a household like how to pay house hold bills, budgeting and how to balance a check book. A Brighter Tomorrow will also provide counseling to help identify and help with any issues the teens may have. A Brighter Tomorrow will also offer Planned Parenthood and parenting classes, because the statistics show that by the age of 19, girls who had been in foster care were two and a half times more likely than were girls nationwide to have become pregnant and nearly three times more likely to have had a child. These classes will...
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...Abstract Children being placed into the foster care system have experienced or are at risk of experiencing maltreatment. A study conducted utilizing data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems (AFCARS) provides estimated risks for children in the United States. As social workers we aim to make the voice of our clients be heard. A study conducted in Canada provided just that for twenty children in foster care. These children provided valuable advice for children entering foster care, foster parents and social workers. Having this valuable information can only bring positive insight to a difficult situation. Foster Care Risks and Transitions Foster care placement for children occurs when the child or children...
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...not fall within the narrow scope of the "Normal Family". Most of them live in a single-parent household; with maybe a sibling or two, step brothers and sisters, and parents with their significant others. Although none of these circumstances are ideal, the fact of the matter is that it happens. Many people fall into that single parent category after failed marriages and relationships (with kids). With the continued increase in divorce this speaks to the illusion of the ideal heterosexual home and its stability. Love conquers all, and it should be the true determining factor of normality. there are millions of children waiting to be adopted into steady homes. Everyone has the right to choose who they want to spend their life with, or take care of regardless of race, religion, and gender. Therefore gay couples should have the right to affirm their love by adopting legally and publicly. Those who are against gay adoption claim that they would hate to see a child with "two moms" or "two dads" because they would be teased and tormented for it. But then they forget the fact that if children were raised to be more tolerant and accepting of this there would be no Teasing. If it was taught to them that there is not just one family dynamic they would be more accepting. This is not a question of the interest of the child it is making excuses for this countries ignorance when it relates to homosexuals and their rights. What...
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...structural barriers to providing case management. The second theme was the lack of political influence by the nurses to change the structure of the organization; hence, their skills could be more completely utilized. Conclusions: Public health nurses who work in child welfare will need to systematically analyze their role within the organization and understand how to work in Òhost settings.Ó Nursing educators need to prepare public health nurses to work in non-health care settings by teaching organizational analysis. Key words: child protective services, organization, public health nursing. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative descriptive study was to investigate how public health nurses working in the child welfare system in a large metropolitan county in California view the organization. The study utilized the Bolman—Deal Organizational ModelÕs (1997) four frames for organizational analysis: symbolic, political, human resource, and structural. Public health nurses have joined social workers in providing care...
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...Running head: THE FOSTER CARE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE The Association Between Foster Care and Substance Abuse Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis Sharon H. Stoess Grand Canyon University NRS-433V March 27, 2011 The Association Between Foster Care and Substance Abuse Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis “The child welfare and substance abuse systems are integrally linked through the children and families they serve (Blome, W., Shields, J., & Verdieck, M., 2009). There is a dearth of knowledge, however, on how children who have experienced foster care fare when they are treated for substance abuse issues as adults” (Blome, W., Shields, J., & Verdieck, M., 2009). “In addition, the funds available for in-depth, comprehensive research in child welfare are limited” (Blome, W., Shields, J., & Verdieck, M., 2009). “Data collected for one purpose can potentially be used to answer other questions” (Blome, W., Shields, J., & Verdieck, M., 2009). “Secondary analysis involves the use of data gathered in a previous study to test new hypotheses or address new questions” (Polit & Beck, 2009, p. 295). “The issue, however, is that the original researchers may not have collected all the data needed to answer the current question” (Blome, W., Shields, J., & Verdieck, M., 2009). “This article presents an exploratory study using the Alcohol and Drug Services Study (ADSS) study set” (Blome...
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...Aaliyah report not knowing the reason for being in foster care. Aaliyah explain being in foster care and no one explained why she is in foster care. The referring agency referral did not state how Aaliyah entered care. Aaliyah entered SAFY care from Palmetto County Behavioral Health. Per referring agency report, Aaliyah met the goals set for her and the facility has to offer. The referring agency did not report any behavioral problems; however, Aaliyah has a history of running away to meet adult men to have sex. PRS: Aaliyah has a history of displaying depression symptoms as deflated self-esteem, sadness and worthlessness. Aaliyah displays argumentative behaviors with peers and adults, resentful, blames others, deliberately ignores authority figures. Aaliyah lack coping skills to maintain healthy relationships, manage...
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...addiction; c) youth work; d) violence; e) foster care/alternative care, discuss the client needs and the role of the social care practitioner in responding to those needs. Introduction The following essay is on Alternative care, Alternative care is known as both residential care and foster care. The discussion will be based on the residential care system in Ireland. Therefore, this essay will firstly begin by outlining the residential care system. It will then go on by discussing the needs of the child within residential care (Share and McElwee, 2005). The analysis continues by identifying and discussing the aspects of working in the residential care system. Finally, it will look at the importance of the social care practitioner within the residential care system and how the practitioner addresses the needs of the children within the care system. The discussion will then be concluded. The needs of young people in Residential Care Throughout society, it is a widely known certainty that young kids pass through the Residential Care system for many troublesome causes. Everyone in society is different to one another, different children have different needs which result from the poor care experience undergone by each child. The setting of Residential Care should, therefore, as much as possible, offer a home atmosphere to these children, that is, a welcoming and warm environment. Article 42.5 distinctly commits the Irish state to allocate care to a child under the age of 18, for whatever...
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...Foster Care in the United States Sue King Liberty University Abstract The history of foster care in the United States started with orphan trains and the Children’s Aid Society founded by Charles Loring Brace. Recent research describes the child welfare system as an organization that provides service to helpless children in need. This paper will discuss foster care as it is relates to safety, permanency, and wellbeing of children in need The role of a foster parent and the process of loss, and grief after a child leave their biological parents will be discussed. Research suggests that Courts has the final decision whether a child will stay in foster care or return home. This paper will describe the developmental impact that foster care has on children after losing their biological family. There are several risk factors associated with poverty. This paper will discuss the significance of children reuniting with their biological parents and/or being adopted for permanency. Empirical evidence from recent research confirmed that hard times during childhood was related to health problems later in life. Foster care reform, educational outcomes, economic incentives for adoption, mentors and home visitation programs should be implemented to improve the foster care system. Keywords: foster care, developmental, health problems, orphan trains Foster Care in the United States The prevalence rate is high for foster care in the United States. The history...
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...Our Foster System Children are the backbone of any society. They represent what will come of that future society. Unfortunately, not all children are cared for, this can be a problem when we look at how children in the foster care system will grow up. When looking at the present time, there is major flaws in the current foster care system. The children today are not being properly taken care of. There are many reasons including: Poor funding, lack of homes, and settling issues. Overall, the flaws are making an unstable households and the issue must be fixed. The foster system of today is broken, the child inside are struggling mentally and physically; the system needs to be improved, the opposing view would be that foster care is successful...
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...Introduction On November 2007, The Oregonian began an investigation on children in foster care that had been prescribed powerful psychiatric medications. These medications were given four times the rate of other children. Concerns have been on the rise for children that are given “psychotropic medications”. Primarily the concern is high for those children in foster care, and who receive Medicaid, because they are in a system that has lost structure of the importance of the health and welfare of children and adolescence. Also because foster children are more likely to have more emotional and social issues, and need treatment to include psychiatric medication. Psychotropic medications are those that affect the nervous system and produce many changes in behavior or awareness. These medications can be given in the form of a tranquilizer, sedative or antidepressant. Changes should be made to prevent how children receive medications, to deter overdosing and complications from misdiagnosing the child’s illness. The effect that psychiatric drugs have on children can be sometimes upsetting. Psychiatric or psychotropic medications are used to help children with behavioral impairment. Changes should be made that will benefit children in situations as mentioned. Not only in foster care but any child that is prescribed psychiatric (psychotropic) medications. Implementing change that will assure children are prescribe the right mediations, and are given the medication according to their...
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...In today’s society raising children is one of the most important responsibilities of any parent. It is unfortunate that some children grow up without the opportunity of having a family to love and raise them. No mother or father to guide them down the right path. More unimaginable is that there are children growing up with parents or family members that are abusive. Children that are being raised in abusive homes and neglected environments are reported to social services and removed from their homes and end up being placed into Foster Care. Children, especially very young, require a stable environment. The Foster Care system is intended to temporarily protect and nurture children whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them....
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... Fostering a Circle of Care On Thursday, November 22, 2011, I attended a foster parent recruitment meeting upon the insistence of my oldest daughter, Breanna. I had personally never considered becoming involved with the Foster Care Program, and knew very little about it outside of the knowledge that it serves children who have experienced abuse or neglect, by their birthparents and families or when there is no family available to care for them. Breanna, pulled on my heartstrings by telling me how much she loved me and how the foundational lessons taught and instilled during her fundamental years which help mold her into the woman she is today and how even if on a temporary basis, my love and nurturing could possibly change a child’s life. Needless to say, that got me. Upon listening to some startling statistics such as there are an estimated 408,425 children currently in the foster care system. With only 26% of those children living in relative homes, and almost half of them an astonishing 48% were living in nonrelative foster family homes. My immediate thought is how sad that our society has digressed to the point that you have this amazing amount of children living in a displaced situation. Since the main goal of the foster care program is the reunification of children with their families and the majority of children remain in foster care for less than 1 year. This really got me to thinking. Because...
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