Welcome to Unit 3 Children and Family Services Dawn Burgess, Ed. D

Overview of Positions Available in a Family Services Agencies Child abuse investigations Child abuse assessments Case management for children and families in foster families Case management for families in crisis Case management and counseling for potential adoptive parents, adult adoptees and birth parents

The History of Foster Care in the United States The US Orphan Problem – Attitudes toward children in the 1700 and 1800’s – Apprenticeships and cheap labor – De-sensitized because of the number – No need for additional nurturing – The introduction of the field of Psychology and a change in many religions altered the view of children

The History of Foster Care in the United States The Orphan Asylum – By 1890, there were over 600 orphanages – If families were unable to care for children, they could place them in an orphanage for a small fee. – Most were privately run with government funding. – Obedience was highly valued. – Play was discouraged and even punished.

Foster Care: The Orphan Trains A program first developed to provide children with in- home care rather than institutionalized care. It is estimated that as many as 5,000 children were homeless and roaming the streets. Rev. Charles Loring Brace believed that children would be better off in clean open spaces, not the streets of a major city in search of work. Indentured contracts

Foster Care: The Orphan Trains Ran from 1854 to 1929 Delivered approximately 150,000 children Some had happy endings, some did not The Orphan Train program is considered the start of the foster care system that we know today

The Current US Child Welfare System By 1980, there were no children left in institutionalized care Children of color are overrepresented in the foster care system Today, the majority of children are in foster care because of serious maltreatment Almost ½ want to return to their biological homes In 2007, approximately 496,000 in the US foster care system (

Legislation The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 1974 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 Adoption and Safe Families Act, 1997 Keeping Children and Families Safe Act, 2003

Types of Child Maltreatment Physical (failure to provide food or shelter or proper supervision) Medical (failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment) Educational (failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs) Emotional (inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological cares, or permitting a child to use alcohol or drugs)

Working with Children in Placement Permanency Plans – Reunification with the biological parents – Living with relatives – Guardianship with close friends – Short-term or long term foster care – Emancipation (with older children) – Adoption with termination of parental rights

Working with Biological Families Goals – Counseling – Parenting classes – Treatment for substance abuse – Anger management – Securing employment – Securing housing – Maintaining regular contact with children

Working with Foster Children Separation Loss, Grief, and Mourning Identity Issues Continuity and Family Ties Crisis

Working with Foster Parents Developmental needs of at-risk children Child sexual abuse Appropriate discipline for at-risk children Supporting foster children and their biological families Managing stress and working with a changing family

Reunification Preparing for transition Giving children a voice Monitoring in-home services Communication

Family Preservation Early intervention and prevention is key Teaching important parenting skills Family counseling Assistance with household budgeting Stress management Child development Cash assistance

Minority Populations and Multicultural Considerations Children of color comprise almost 60% of the foster care system. Placing children of color in Caucasian homes Native Americans and the US Child welfare system How important is culture in placement?

Adoption Services Domestic Adoption Independent Adoption Private Agency Adoption International Adoption Special-Needs Adoption

Concluding Thoughts…. Where do you see yourself working in human services? Is Child and Family Services an area you would consider? Which of the roles that we have discussed tonight would be important for you to focus on in the future? Why?