Child Welfare Policies: A Film Analysis

The importance of the U.S. child welfare policies is that it allows the maltreatment of children and abuse to end. The U.S. child welfare policies are important because they lookout for the well-being of the child but also considering what assistance their families may need. Child welfare programs and policies support children, however, in many cases improve the dynamic between families. For example, Child welfare programs such as the adoption assistance and child welfare act of 1980 is important because it looks for the best results for children by reducing the time children have in foster care, established family preservation as a major goal, and promoted family and support services. The focus of child protective service is to deliver services
In the film, “Autumn’s Eyes”, Autumn at 3 years old experienced risk factors such as: extreme poverty, health problems, child neglect, child endangerment, and living in habitable environment. Which support Jenson and Fraser (2016) opinion that “Households that are living near or below the poverty line tend to have few social supports and experience stress in child rearing, all of which can increase the risk of child maltreatment” (pg. 65). By having child welfare policies and programs it is understandable why Autumn was removed because she was left alone with her 12-year-old aunt in a dark apartment with little to eat and no heat, while the grandmother was stressed in the hospital unable to leave due to medical reasons. Autumn’s temporary stay in foster care supports Gary W. Evans opinion that poor children are more likely to stay in foster care for some time. Even though Autumn only stayed in foster care for a couple days, child welfare policies allowed her grandmother to prove that she is able to care for her granddaughter. The grandmother showed the ability to care for her grandchild by looking for a house and by never abusing or neglecting
In homeless kids of O.C, the Oezken family dealt with their mother working overnight shift at the hospital, while her husband who lost his job at target watched over their 4 children. Self sufficiency is demonstrated in both film when the children would cook and clean at an early age, which teaches them to be independent. A caring Community is demonstrated in the Homeless kids of O.C., when the kids would get food and clothes donated to them from churches and that every week they were able to take a bag of food home. Employment is seen in both films when Autumn’s mother is released from prison she begins looking for work to take care of Autumn. In the homeless kids of O.C., employment is also seen a s protective factor because many of the families residing in the motel are the working poor. even though they may not have a place of their home the parents are willing to work in order to still care for their children and not deal with more stress. Academic achievement is demonstrated in Autumn’s eyes when autumn is able to read cereal boxes at the age of 3. Ability to focus on positive attribute is demonstrated in the homeless kids of O.C., when 8-year-old Jennifer still had hope and believed that god would not give you something you can’t