Foster care is a harsh reality for many children in our society. After reading Chapter 15, answer the following questions: How is the effectiveness of Foster Care often inhibited?

At Coachella Valley California, three factors prohibit the effectiveness of foster care: communities, children, and families.

Communities: the families of children placed in foster care live in an environment characterized by structural deficiencies and poverty, or basic needs believed to characterize stable communities. Often, these families lack basic needs such as employment opportunities, adequate housing and job skills and the means to offer sufficient clothing, food, and medical care. Dangerous surroundings, housing inadequacy and economic deprivation pose the greatest obstacle to a successful foster care. Abandonment is the prime reason for placing children under foster care: inadequate housing is the key element tied to it (Berrick, 2009). Families living in these challenging financial straits demonstrate concrete needs like sufficient food. Even while serving households with limited economic sources, the child welfare system disproportionately serves communities of color like the African-American communities.

Families and parents: the parents of children who are placed under foster care often suffer from multiple problems. The most recently cited reason for foster care was parental problems like hostility, substance abuse, and non-compliance. Parents whose children are placed in foster care are challenged with issues of substance abuse. Parents with substance or alcohol abuse issues frequently show ambivalence toward foster care. In fact, in the most extreme cases, children under foster care are linked to maternal criminal history (Lindsey, 2013).

Children: some characteristics have been found to relate to foster care effectiveness. The attributes range from those specific to a child's situation (behavioral problems, health issues, and maltreatment experienced) to the diverse demographic factors like ethnicity, race, and economic status. Studies reveal that some factors in a child's case determine the success of foster care required to maintain their health and safety (Kerman, Freundlich & Maluccio, 2009). The same factors have a strong relationship with the chance of having a successful foster care service. For example, cases where a child requires much intensive care because of behavioral problems or health problems are closely associated with foster care effectiveness.

2. What are the advantages of foster care? What are some of the disadvantages?

There are various pros to foster care, which are being enjoyed by the children and parents alike, At Coachella Valley California. The following are some of the pros that individuals must keep in mind whether or not they want to become foster parents.

Helping others - among the biggest positive element of becoming a foster parent is that a person will have the ability to help others. The individual will provide a home for a child that has nowhere to go. In fact, the person will be helping the family and the entire community with his/her service. However, the person must concentrate on the advantages of helping the child. The child might have come from an abusive home or might have lost his/her parents. In any case, they will be in need of love. The foster parent will have an opportunity to offer the child a home, love and other things the child may need (Curtis, Dale & Kendall, 2009).

Financial compensation -- another advantage of becoming a foster parent is monetary compensation. Although the money should not be the main reason for becoming a foster parent, it helps along the way. Some households might love to become foster homes, but they lack the resources. Nevertheless, the compensation given to them makes it possible for them to open their homes to children in need of foster care (Kerman, Freundlich & Maluccio, 2009).

Bonding with foster children: households accepting foster children have the chance to establish a strong bond with the children. While this is beneficial to the foster children, it is also beneficial to the foster parents. Most foster parents establish a solid bond with foster children, lasting at least a lifetime; this is indeed a massive blessing and benefit.

Cons

While the pros of becoming a foster parent are many, it is necessary for an individual to have a balanced perspective of foster parenting before making any decision. Before making the final decision on whether or not to become a foster parent, a person must take a close look at the possible pros and cons, and determine which one outweighs the other.

Emotional pain due to separation -- individuals considering foster parenting must keep in mind the emotional pain triggered by separation. According to statistics, approximately 50% of children under foster care end up being united with their original families (Pers, 2010). This implies that the foster parent will...

It becomes difficult and painful to let such children go: before a person becomes a foster parent, the individual should be certain that he/she could deal with this.
3. What is the role of foster parents?

At Coachella Valley California, the role of foster parents is to embrace children, offer a home free of neglect and abuse, and value their family connections until they can return home, live independently or be adopted. They should be willing to care for children. Foster parents do not have the legal custody of a child just like the guardians of the child in their care. However, they are a vital part of the decision-making process about a child's safety, permanency and well-being (Curtis, Dale & Kendall, 2009).

Part II. Explore the process of becoming a foster parent is in your community Coachella Valley California.

1. How long is the process?

At Coachella Valley California, the process of determining who can become a foster parent is thorough. The steps involved include:

I. Inquiry -- a social worker contacts the interested individual to answer a few questions

II. Information evening -- a social worker invites the individual to attend an information evening

III. First home visit -- a social worker visits the interested foster parent and the rest of his/her family with the aim of identifying the appropriate fostering care that would suit them

IV. Reference and application form -- the interested applicant need to fill a detailed application form and him/herself and the members of the household; it includes checking employment, police, health records and personal references (Pers, 2010).

V. Preparation and training -- the applicant attends a preparation session to learn more about fostering

VI. Assessment -- a social worker visits the applicant a number of times to compile a home assessment report. The foster care panel will use this report to make recommendations about the applicant (Curtis, Dale & Kendall, 2009).

VII. Approval -- a senior manager at the foster agency approves the applicant as a foster carer. The process takes at least six months. Once the applicant has been approved as a carer, he/she will receive continuous training throughout the time as a foster carer. The training and assessment process seek to ensure the children placed will be safe and well taken care of and that the applicant is completely comfortable with being a foster parent (Curtis, Dale & Kendall, 2009).

2. What are the qualifications a person interested in becoming a foster parent must have?

An individual interested in becoming a foster parent requires no unique talent; flexibility, patience and the ability to give a stable family at a period crisis and until a permanent living plan is arranged. Foster agencies do not exclude anyone interested from becoming a foster parent because of creed, race, marital status, or religious belief. However, because of the importance of working with children, people interested in becoming foster parents must be of good character, be in good mental and physical health and able to offer a self-living environment for the child. Some key characteristics include the energy and time to invest in the child's life, good parenting skills and genuine concern for the well-being of children and families (Pers, 2010).

Basic qualifications include:

I. The individuals should not be below 21 years

II. Be married or single

III. Be financially stable

IV. Have renters or homeowner's insurance

V. Be without or with children of their own

VI. Have enough space for children

VII. Have an adequate income for family

VIII. Be aware that becoming a foster parent is normally temporary

IX. Have the ability to show acceptance and understand the child's parents

X. Have a clear background certainty

XI. Able to offer personal references (Berrick, 2009)

3. Is there any training involved? How long is the training process?

Foster parents must undergo training to help meet the needs of the children in their care, prevent abuse and neglect as well as receive vital information about technique in managing behavior. New foster parents need training and preparation to perform their role in an effective manner. Individuals who are in the process of becoming foster parents must be oriented to:

I. The personal, social and family problems, which lead to family break-up and value for child placement

II. The reactions and problems of children after separation and the responsibility of the foster parents in relation to the parents and child

III. The authority of the Office of Children and Family Services, local social services districts and the Family Court to monitor the practice…