Former Foster Youth and the System
Christina Kittell
ENG122
Nathaniel Millard
July 27, 2008
Former Foster Youth and the System
There are many adults in the United States today that have problems dealing with the challenges of adult life. A good portion of them are brought up in foster care and have been negatively impacted by the system. Because of how the system works, these adults that grew up in the foster care system have social, emotional and educational issues that most adults do not have and have gone through things that most people do not go through.
While some come out of the foster care system unharmed, some come out harmed but are determined to put their lives on the right track and become productive, successful citizens. Nevertheless, the majority cannot seem to function productively and end up on the streets with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Some people say it is up to the individual to choose their path in life and only they can change the direction in which it is going. However, to change their lives, they must have the tools to do so.
Children are placed into foster care due to neglect or abuse in the biological home or if the family cannot take care of them for some reason and need temporary help (National Foster Care Coalition, 2008). They are taken out of the only home that they have known and placed with a strange family that provides a roof over their head, food, safety and comfort, and hopefully, love.
Some of the abuses that these children encounter are physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse. The majority of the children are molested and sometimes raped by a family member. Sometimes they are neglected because a parent is doing drugs or they are alcoholics, and sometimes the parent or one of the parents are depressed and keep to themselves instead of parenting the child. There are times when the child is removed because they have health problems that prevent the biological parent from...