As I stated in the beginning I have been a foster parent for many years and have seen what abuse has done to them not only physically but also on an emotional level. The part that seems to bother me the most is that these children often head back home to their parents after their parents complete some parenting classes. What about these children? They are going to grow up living in the same household that would abuse them anytime they felt like it or if the children may have done something wrong. I do understand that in the foster care system the goal is always to reunify the children with their parents but in regards to the children I feel that this is just wrong. They should be able to grow up in a loving home where they can trust the individuals that are raising them without having doubt that if they make the wrong move or say the wrong thing they may get punished. The policies do work in regards to removing the children and providing them with assistance and care they need but the reunification aspects is one area that I believe needs to be worked on.
State funded child welfare programs are set up to help or even protect those children that have faced abuse and/or neglect. Some Child Welfare programs that are available are Medicaid, childcare subsidies, housing subsidies and even food stamps (Welfareinfo.org website, 2015, para. 4). There are many causes of child abuse or neglect, it can be anything from stress at home or in the workplace, financial troubles, spousal abuse or even substance abuse. Social workers in today’s society have to be very open minded in regards to the stressors in the family and how it affects those