Research On Child Foster Care System In The United States

Since last 70s-80s, foster care has become the globally major service for protecting the vulnerable children instead of institution care. The United States of American is one of the earliest forerunners who have begun child foster care service even as early as 18th century. Nowadays, child foster care system has been one of important institution arrangement for American child protection system; it has become a comprehensive institutional system including the government, child welfare institutions, communities, families, social workers and the children. We can take the US child foster care system as a good demonstration in providing comprehensive services and protection for not only orphans and disabled children, but also vulnerable children who are suffering serious abuse and/or neglect.Based on the theoretical analysis using the Theory of Child Rights, the Theory of Nation Intervening in Family Relation, and the Theory of Welfare Pluralism, qualitative and quantitative analytical studies were carried out. The main contents of this dissertation are as follows:First of all, the system origin and motivation of American child foster care were comprehensively sorted out and analyzed based on historical point of view. American child foster care system has experienced different developing stages since 18th century, from apprenticeship foster during the colonial period, through the phase when children who suffered serious abuse and neglect were covered by foster care system, to modern child foster care system which aims at facilitating the family reunification. The analysis indicated that the origin and evolution of American child foster care system has three motivations:the first one is family poverty and derived social problems; the second is the Theory of Child Rights facilitated the value goal establishment and system improvement of child foster care system; and finally, the changing role of the government, from laissez-faire to intervention, facilitated the development of child foster care system in the US, and ultimately one of important child protection institutions.Second, static and dynamic studies were done to the institutional system and operational mechanism of American child foster care system. American child foster care system contains three elements including child foster care policy framework; organization, personnel and funds; and ancillary supporting services. The policy framework is guaranteed by laws, and covers the abuse and neglect report, foster child rights protection, and permanent placement facilitation of foster child. Specialized organization setup, professional children social workers and government budget included funds facilitated the solid backup for child foster care. Family centered child services and (for older foster children) independent living services offers good supports for the child foster care system. The procedures of American child foster care guarantees the system implementation, which includes pre-entering investigation, foster mode and foster service arrangements, child permanent placement for foster system quitting, and closed case feedback/evaluation.Third, combined with case studies and data statistics, practical performance of American child foster care system was analyzed, advantages and disadvantages were pointed out. In practice, there are still problems existing such as child abuse reports and abuse rate rebound, young child abuse and neglect problems, delay problems of older and African American children within the foster system, adoption time delay problems of foster children, and etc, though the main goal of American child foster care system has been achieved and good effects has been acquired in foster children safety and permanent placement.Fourth, based on all studies above, comprehensive analysis and evaluation were done to, and difficulties as well as challenges in system character, system operation and future development were also summarized for American child foster care system. Combined with China’s practical situation, three revelations were proposed for our child foster care system and even child protection system, including:establishing child right centered value goals and gradually expand the system coverage; improving relative policies, regulations, and the operability of the system of legal protection and implementation; make sure system functional orientation, speed up the transformation from supplementary service to preventive service, and facilitating child welfare socialization.