Foster care in America : a reference handbook

Summary: This resource provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the American foster care system. Areas of coverage include the scaffolding of foster care systems in the various states (each of which operate their own unique systems through their social service agencies); conditions under which children are taken out of their families of origin and placed in foster care; the experiences of both young children and older teens in foster homes; challenges for foster children who “age out” of the system; and proposals to reform and improve foster care across the nation.Geared for students, this book contains chapters devoted to the background and history of foster care in America; the systems’s problems, controversies, and solutions; original essay contributions exploring various facets of the system; profiles of leading foster care activists and organizations; governmental data and excerpts of primary documents on the topic; and an annotated list of important books, scholarly journals, and nonprint sources for further research. It closes with a detailed chronology, glossary of terms, and subject index.

Record details

ISBN: 9781440874291
ISBN: 1440874298
ISBN: 9781440874307
Physical Description: print
xix, 292 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Publisher: Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2022]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1. BACKGROUND AND HISTORY: Introduction -- Overview of Current System -- Reporting and Investigation of Abuse -- Substantiated Cases of Abuse and Neglect -- Forms of Placement -- Kinship Care -- Nonrelative Foster Parent(s -- Congregate Care -- Historical Foundations of Foster Care in America -- The Evolution of Federal Policy -- The Social Security Act of 1935 -- The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 -- The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 -- The Influence of Cultural Heritage, Race, and Ethnicity on Child Welfare Policy -- The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 -- The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 and Interethnic Provisions of 1996 -- Challenges to the Indian Child Welfare Act -- Permanency Planning and Child Welfare Policy -- Increased Focus on Aging Out -- Prevention, Family Preservation, and Promoting Family versus Institutional Care -- Strengthening the Child Welfare System for America's Children -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 2. PROBLEMS, CONTROVERSIES, AND SOLUTIONS: Introduction -- Aging Out of Foster Care -- Foster Care Runaways -- Placement Instability, Delayed Permanency, and Other System Failures -- Restrictions on Congregate Care -- Ensuring Protection and Permanency for Native American Children -- Racial Disparities in Child Welfare -- Addressing Racial Bias in the Foster Care System -- Do Racial Disparities in Child Welfare Cause Pervasive Harm -- The Question of Kinship Care -- Recruiting and Retaining Foster and Adoptive Families -- LGBTQ Rights and Religious Exemptions -- Increased Focus on Older Youth -- COVID-19 and Child Welfare Challenges and Opportunities -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3. PERSPECTIVES: Introduction -- Changing Laws, Changing Lives -- Combating "Stereotype Threat" among Foster Youth -- My Life in Foster Care -- Improving Trauma-Informed Treatment of Foster Children -- Faith-Based Agencies and Communities Are Essential in Child Welfare Work -- Fostering amid the Opioid Crisis: My Family's Story -- They Call Me Mom -- Chapter 4. PROFILES: Introduction -- AdoptUSKids -- Aging Out Institute -- Annie E. Casey Foundation -- Better Together -- The CALL -- Casey Family Programs -- Center for State Child Welfare Data -- CHAMPS -- Child Welfare League of America -- Children's Bureau -- Children's Rights -- Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute -- Court Appointed Special Advocates -- Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption -- DC Family and Youth Initiative -- FaithBridge -- Family and Youth Law Center -- Family Equality -- Foster America -- Foster Care Alumni of America -- Foster Care to Success -- FosterClub -- Fostering Court Improvement -- 4KIDS, Inc -- Gen Justice -- Healthy Foster Care America -- Heart Gallery -- iFoster -- Isaiah 117 House -- Love Fosters Hope -- Mayfly Project -- Monument Academy -- Multi-System Trauma-Informed Collaborative -- National Foster Parent Association -- Native American Youth and Family Center -- One Church One Child -- One Simple Wish -- Project 1.27 -- Safe Families for Children -- Safe Haven Services -- Utah Youth Village -- Chapter 5. DATA AND DOCUMENTS: Introduction -- Data -- Documents -- Chapter 6. RESOURCES: Introduction -- Books -- Articles and Reports -- Journals, Magazines, and Online Forums -- Nonprint Sources -- Chapter 7. CHRONOLOGY: Glossary -- Index -- About the Author.