Foster children face numerous difficulties. The overwhelming thought of removing them from their homes is stressful, but for many young people entering the social security system, this is only the beginning.
As a result of the violence, many children have been forced to flee their homes. Most are forced to adjust to constantly changing settings because they are moved from one home to another.
Staying in a foster care facility is difficult in any situation and can have serious consequences for a child's behavioral and mental health. To promote foster children's safety and mental health, it is critical to understand what they face on a daily basis and the dangers they face.
Mental Trauma
Children who are separated from their families due to neglect, parent death, parent involvement in substance abuse, parent incarceration, or sexual or physical abuse can have a negative impact on their psychological well-being, resulting in emotional and mental trauma.
Children in foster care are frequently relocated and must interact with a variety of people along the way. They are constantly starting over, which can lead to bonding and separation issues, limiting the child's ability to form and maintain healthy connections. It can also be a traumatic experience for children to try to live with people who have very different personalities and living standards.
Foster Care and Mental Health Issues
Foster children are among the most vulnerable, so it's not surprising that the majority have behavioral and mental health issues.
You will feel resentment, uncertainty, anxiety, and insecurity when a stranger takes you out of your home and places you in a new home or communal environment with other strangers.
The following are some of the most common mental health issues:
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorder
- Substance abuse
- Violent behavior
Broken Family Ties
Returning the child to the family is neither safe nor in the best interests of the child in certain circumstances. This may harm family bonds and connections, which can contribute to cognitive health disorders like anxiety and depression.
In foster care, sibling separation can also contribute to depression. Unfortunately, keeping siblings together is not always possible, owing to the fact that many adoptive families lack the space to house multiple children. This can be harmful to a child's mental health.
Who We Are
Social workers who provide child welfare and family services struggle every day to manage caseloads just like these. FAMCare was developed in response to a need for child welfare software among Missouri agencies. Two decades later, FAMCare is a leader for agencies who want to improve how they manage their data and outcomes for society's most vulnerable.
In contrast, we continue to strive to be more than just another software company. We publish articles on our blog that highlight and inform people about key relevant topic matter regarding child and family services. We've chosen a few other blogs on this topic that we think you'll find relevant.
