Challenges Associated with Foster Care

Challenges Associated with Foster Care

Going through the experience of foster care, whether as a child, a foster parent, or a parent whose child is placed in foster care, presents unique challenges. One significant challenge children in foster care encounter is the emotional turmoil or trauma that usually results from the conditions that led them to be placed in foster care. Such conditions include child abuse, drug abuse, death of family members, and sexual abuse, among others. Secondly, being torn away from everything and everyone they have known and being placed in the hands of strangers with whom they are expected to form attachments can be overwhelming, especially when the child has traumatic experiences. Another challenge children face in foster care is placement instability. Children are taken away from their families, friends, and pets when placed in foster care. Further, their sense of stability and security is disrupted if they keep being moved from place to place, causing them to withdraw from making any social connections in fear of losing them again.

From the view of a parent whose child was placed in foster care, one challenge is stigma and judgment from the community, which can exacerbate feelings of shame and isolation. In addition, such parents may also experience shame, guilt, and grief for the circumstances they took part in that led to their children being taken away from them (Royse & Griffiths, 2020). Another challenge that such parents encounter revolves around being reunited with their children. Suppose a child feels well cared for in another family and still has trust issues with their biological parents. In that case, this would make the reunification process more challenging. Besides, the parent can feel even more guilt for uprooting the child’s life all over again.

Finally, foster parents also experience challenges. One challenge is associated with the emotional investment these parents have to make in order to form attachments with their foster children (Royse & Griffiths, 2020). The risk here is that the children might leave their care, and this is similar to losing their own child. Subsequently, some children might resist forming an attachment with their foster parents so as to remain loyal to their biological parents. This can be frustrating for foster parents who try their hardest to form attachments with their foster children. Further, some children placed in foster care usually have traumatic experiences, which can result in behaviors that the foster parents are not equipped to handle, leading to emotional toil and disruptions to their lives.

References

Royse, D., & Griffiths, A. (2020). Child welfare and child protection: An Introduction. Cognella Academic Publishing.

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After reading Chapter 10 of your textbook, and learning more about the perspectives regarding foster care from 1- the child/youth point of view; 2- the bio parent’s point of view; and 3- foster parents’ point of view, I want you to discuss what challenges you believe are associated with:

Challenges Associated with Foster Care

Being in foster care

Having a child/youth placed in foster care and

The challenges you believe are associated with being a foster parent.