Foster Care System Final Essay
Foster Care System: Children without families
SOC 331: Social Justice and Ethics
Bernie Colon
November 14, 2011
Raising children is one of the most important responsibilities in any society. Today, working parents have many options, but what about those children who have neither a mother nor father? What about those children who come from broken and abusive homes? In such cases there are often few choices. Parentless children may be placed in orphanages or in foster homes. Ideally, foster care offers children more personalized attention than would normally be available at a public or private situation. However, orphanage care is notoriously uneven. While some children are indeed in loving homes, others find themselves neglected or even worse.
Though many foster parents are conscientious and caring, there are many who are not. Some are in it only for the money, although, others have good intentions and motives. A problem as well, is that many children in foster care are continually moved from home to home, thus establishing no real bond with their foster parents. Children, especially young children, require a stable environment. A foster parent is, in effect, a surrogate parent. And like other parents, foster mothers and fathers serve as role models for their children. A role model can be a positive influence, but depending on the role model he/she could be a negative influence.
There are many reasons why children in Foster care require more attention than other children. Large numbers of these children have moderate to severe behavioral problems. The nature of these problems varies, but often includes drug abuse, disciplinary problems, and various issues of sexual freedom. The protection and nurturance of children is a universal goal shared by all human cultures.
Children thrive best when they live in safe, stable, and nurturing families. However, many children in the United States lack this type of home environment. For these children whose families are
SOC 331: Social Justice and Ethics
Bernie Colon
November 14, 2011
Raising children is one of the most important responsibilities in any society. Today, working parents have many options, but what about those children who have neither a mother nor father? What about those children who come from broken and abusive homes? In such cases there are often few choices. Parentless children may be placed in orphanages or in foster homes. Ideally, foster care offers children more personalized attention than would normally be available at a public or private situation. However, orphanage care is notoriously uneven. While some children are indeed in loving homes, others find themselves neglected or even worse.
Though many foster parents are conscientious and caring, there are many who are not. Some are in it only for the money, although, others have good intentions and motives. A problem as well, is that many children in foster care are continually moved from home to home, thus establishing no real bond with their foster parents. Children, especially young children, require a stable environment. A foster parent is, in effect, a surrogate parent. And like other parents, foster mothers and fathers serve as role models for their children. A role model can be a positive influence, but depending on the role model he/she could be a negative influence.
There are many reasons why children in Foster care require more attention than other children. Large numbers of these children have moderate to severe behavioral problems. The nature of these problems varies, but often includes drug abuse, disciplinary problems, and various issues of sexual freedom. The protection and nurturance of children is a universal goal shared by all human cultures.
Children thrive best when they live in safe, stable, and nurturing families. However, many children in the United States lack this type of home environment. For these children whose families are