Social problem
The social problem to be addressed in my paper is the mistreatment of children. As a society, we have defined this problem and created standards for a child’s environment that we deem healthy. Ideally, the environment for a child should always be safe; emotionally, physically, and socially safe for their proper growth and development. The entire society is expected to have the children’s best interest at heart. When the environment of a child is reported and proven unsafe or insecure, the state government intervenes in the matter to help provide a conducive home for the child. This is where the Foster Care policy comes into service. A youth could come into the Foster Care system due to a variety of reasons. Neglect or abuse in the household, lack of resources, relationship issues, death or illness in the family, or anything that threatens the welfare of the child is among the explanations.
According to the 2012, Child Welfare Information Gateway, there was an estimate of 399,546 children in foster care. The Foster Care Analysis, adoption, and Reporting System uses the definition of foster care found in the Code of Federal Regulations. It is defined as “24-hour substitute care for children outside their homes.” Popular opinion often misconceives the definition of a foster care home. The settings of a foster care home incorporate but aren’t limited to, non-relative foster family homes, kinship care homes (relative foster homes), group homes, incarceration, emergency shelters and pre-adoptive homes. (US Department of Human Services, 2012)
Conflicting social values with the mistreatment of children are plentiful. Those children are unable to keep staying in their parents’ homes due to safety issues need to be placed under the custody of the Human Services. This is due to the fact of conflicting values of our society. Our nation has always included the importance of family in our society’s core values. We, as a society, believe that any parent figures act in the minor’s greatest interest. If this is not being implemented and the child’s needs and welfare are being neglected, society has a responsibility to protect the child.
The underlying causes and factors of this social problem cannot always be simply identified. Abuse and neglect to children is unable to be solved exactly. There are various factors that influence this social problem, and they can involve social, psychological, situational and societal elements. At times, an individual may be suffering from a combination of these factors and often times a mental health issue. No matter the potential influences, there is never an appropriate reason to neglect or abuse a child. It is in all ways of the law and social justices, wrongful and adjudicated with zero tolerance.
The groups affected by this problem have absolutely no boundaries. Any child can fall subject to the mistreatment of children. The foster care policy deems the population as any child in an unlawful home between the ages of birth to twenty-one years old. Although in a specific scope, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, statistically, on average, there are 52% male youth and 48% female youth involved in foster care. Although there are thousands of children at every age and race between 0-21 in the foster care system, the highest amounts of children in the system are at the ages: one, two, and sixteen and seventeen. African-Americans make up approximately two-thirds of the foster care population. (US Department of Human Services, 2014) Children one to two are often times entered in the system and then eventually placed either back within their family after the environment has been repaired, placed with a family member or often times they are adopted. The children around the ages sixteen to seventeen are not always so lucky. This is a difficult age for adoption because potential adopting families are looking for younger children to add to their families. Also, many times the children at this of sixteen or seventeen have experienced trauma and were acting out. Therefore, their reciprocal behavior to possible physical, sexual or emotional abuse can often lead to criminal activity, aggressive or violent behavior and withdrawal.
Power Imbalance/Struggle
It is obvious who loses from this social problem, the children being neglected. These children face a surplus of hindrances to their development. Including but not limited to, deprived physical health, attachment issues, debilitated brain function, underdevelopment social abilities and mental health issues. Every individual child experiences a unique response to this problem. There is one factor that every foster care child shares, a sense of loss. Due to interference in routine, a new home atmosphere, and loss of family members or possessions, a sense of loss is prominent in each situation. Additionally, not always as obviously addressed, there are other individuals who lose from this social problem, in addition to the neglected child. The family outside of the household, struggle with the absence of their loved one extracted from their life. They are also experiencing a sense of loss. Truly and altogether, absolutely no one gains from this social problem. Everyone loses in the case of a child being harmed. Any member of society opposes this social problem, besides the responsible abusers. As I stated formerly, our society deems child maltreatment socially unacceptable and unconstitutional.
Public Reaction
Relevant public policies in accordance with child mistreatment as a social problem are abundant. In terms of my field placement, I have analyzed the child welfare policies, and the Title IV-E of the Social Security Act is the most significant. Title IV-E is definitely the most applicable policy to the FAME Program. In 1980, Title IV of the Social Security Act was amended to institute a new Part E. Title IV-E delivers funding federally to foster care and adoption assistances who serve eligible youth. “The objectives of this legislation include:
Improving the quality of care provided to children in substitute care, reducing the total number of young children that get removed from their own homes to be placed in substitute care, returning children from substitute care to their homes when the situations in the home permit, and enabling the adoption of the children or other stable placement for the children who are not able go back to their homes.” (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 2000)
I have not discovered any hidden agendas involving this legislation in my analysis.Most supporters of Social Security legislation are democrats. In 1935, the Social Security bill was signed into law by around 84% of both the House and the Senate, 65% of those votes were of democrats. (Social Security Administration, 2014) Though, at the time this policy was signed into law, it was actually considered rather conservative then. Now in present-day, democrats are still huge supporters of the legislation involving foster care. Republicans aren’t commonly associated with much legislation involving the increase of the deficit. For example, in 2007, the state Senate voted 23-13 on a foster care bill that would have distributed $10.5 million for counties to offer provisional shelter to youths after exiting the foster care system. While Democrats held the majority, they still needed Republicans to get to a two-thirds majority. The republicans ended up killing the foster care bill due to reasons of budget control. Republican Senator Sam Aaenstad stated, “We don't have a budget on time this year because we're billions of dollars out of whack because of hundreds of programs like this," (Lin, 2007)
The Children’s Action Alliance was a huge advocate that had spoken in favor of the foster care bill in 2007. Prior to the demise of said bill, the Children’s Action Alliance held a press conference. The president, Dana Naimark, voiced an important message. "It is important to keep these issues on the radar screen and make sure the voices of foster kids are not lost in the shuffle," (Crawford, 2007)
Implementation of Social Welfare Programs. As of a result of the Title IV-E policy of the Social Security Act, the IV-E Foster Care Program was implemented, in 1980. “The Federal Foster Care Program helps to provide safe and stable out-of-home care for children until the children are safely returned home, placed permanently with adoptive families or placed in other planned arrangements for permanency,” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012)
The Foster Care Program serves hundreds of thousands of youth each year. I discovered a research contending the efficiency of the Foster Care Program. The purpose of the study is to identify correlations of effective family foster care. As I earlier mentioned, the Foster Care Program serves to provide a safe home for children being neglected. By delivering a consistent and secure home life to youth who have been victimized by child maltreatment, in that sense, the Foster Care Program was proven effective. (Henderson, 2004)
Nonetheless, Foster Care has strengths of providing a safe haven for a portion of the youth involved, but there is still a portion of youth in the program that are placed into foster homes where they experience even further trauma and abuse. This is a great weakness in the program. Child welfare agencies “face chronic organizational challenges that undermine their ability to provide appropriate case management, services, and supports to the children and families in their care.” (Princeton University, 2004) It is an ongoing struggle that the program faces. Foster Care still finds the strength in following through with the function it was fashioned to perform; reunification. “More than half (57%) of the children in foster care exit through reunification with their birth parentsChildren who entered the system in 1997 had a 13% slower rate to reunification than those who entered in 1990. But, during this same period, the number of children who were adopted from foster care increased substantially.” (Princeton University, 2004) Where there are strengths, there are weaknesses and vice versa.Actual Impact
Every year, the federal government spends nearly 4.3 billion to fund Title IV-E. The benefits of the program stretch between financial savings and ethical paybacks. Ethically, the program is decreasing the incidents of child abuse, improving youth social functioning, physical health, mental health, educational achievements, and the quality of life. Financially, the government is benefitting through: reducing health and mental health costs and lessening law enforcement cost based on criminal behavior. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2014) Analyzing the results of funding and the outcome of service is how the government can calculate the justification of program.
Legislative Intended Impact. The supposed result for the impact of the Foster Care Program is to apply the plan to create a permanent living arrangement through to adulthood. The children of America, who fall victim to the maltreatment of youth, is the population that is to be affected by this legislative impact. The maltreatment of children, as a social problem, may not be able to be fixed perfectly. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to say society will be able to end child maltreatment indefinitely, but Foster Care as a program can change the social problem. By assessing the well-being of children suspect to child neglect, Foster Care can change the lives of those being affected, giving them a chance at a better life that they deserve.Public Expectations
Child maltreatment is incessantly decreasing. The national child victim rate declined from 10.3 child victims per 1,000 children in 2008 to 9.9 child victims per 1,000 in 2011 (Finkelhor, 2009), a pattern that began in 1990. The social problem is not necessarily better, because it is still happening out of the government’s control. But with Foster Care, America has a treatment plan. It might not be the ultimate solution, but it is still treated. Those satisfied with the outcome of the Foster Care program are most often the foster parents. Many times, because of the gratification that comes with fostering a child, but also because former foster parents adopt 53% of children in Foster Care. (US Department of Human Services, 2011)Affected Populations
Every citizen of America is touched by the Title IV-E policy and the Foster Care Program. Taxpayers’ dollars aid in funding these policies. Citizens are affected by the policy and program due to not only financial impact but also societal impact. Ethically, these policies and programs change society. Obviously, the families and children victimized by child maltreatment are indeed the most touched by the Title IV-E policy and the Foster Care Program.
There are most definitely positive effects from the Foster Care Program. Enhancements in the value of life for the young people, the possibility of the reunification of families, the possibility of adoption and the new opportunities that may not have been available to victimized youth, prior to removal from an unsafe home. It is pleasing to celebrate the positive outcomes of the Foster Care Program, but there are also negative outcomes that cannot be disregarded. As I formerly stated, some youth put into the program are placed into foster homes where they experience even further trauma and abuse. This is a horrible social problem within a social problem. “In 2012, state performance regarding the maltreatment of children while in foster care, ranged from 0.00 to 1.65 percent, with a median of 0.32 percent,” (US Department of Human Services, 2011)
Social Policy is how we, as a society, present issues we deem needing improvement. Without the right to have a voice in legislation, we would be helpless. Foster Care cannot fix all of our child abuse and neglect issues, but it can give a healing child a new start to a happier life. The youth of America depends on society for safety. As social workers, it is our duty to advocate these children. It is not only an ethical decision, but also a qualified responsibility. Continual research and study in the realm of improving Foster Care will help to reform the IV-E policy and also the program itself. Social policy development must involve an everlasting awareness.
References
Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children AFCARS Report. (2014). Retrieved November 10, 2014.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Foster care statistics 2012. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.
Child Welfare Outcomes 2009–2012: Report to Congress. (2014). Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/resource/cwo-09-12
Cost-Benefit Analysis. (2014). Retrieved November 10, 2014.
Crawford, A. J. (2007). NEW FUNDS MUST SUPPORT FOSTER CARE, ADVOCATES SAY. Arizona Republic Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/238802649?accountid=12598
Finkelhor, D., Jones, L., & Shattuck, A. (2009). Updated trends in child maltreatment, 2009. Durham, NH: Crimes Against Children Research Center. Retrieved from http://www. unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Updated_Trends_in_Child_Maltreatment_2009.pdf
Henderson, D. M. (2004). Ecological correlates of effective foster care. (Order No. 3146175, The University of Texas at Arlington). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 141-141 p. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/305060609?acc
Latest Federal Budget: Final Appropriations, FY 2014. (2013). Retrieved November 10, 2014.
Lin, J. (2007). Senate republicans kill foster care bill. McClatchy - Tribune Business News Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/462113016?accountid=12598
Princeton University. (2004). The Future of Children. Retrieved November 10, 2014
Social Security. (2014). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from http://www.ssa.gov/history/tally.html
Zuckerman, D. (2002). Does foster care help kids? Youth Today Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/204163567?accountid=12598
