https://www.adopt.org/adoption-resources/what-is-foster-care

In the article Ā ā€œUnderstanding Ā The Mental Health Risks For Children In Foster Careā€ displays the how children lives are unpredictable and full of twists and surprises. Nothing is planned out of them and everything happens without even knowing. As the children attempt to deal with the reasons why they are unable to remain with their biological family, they must battle the instability that comes with moving from family to family. According to the Author ā€œalmost 50% of children in foster care ages 2 to 14 were diagnosed with a clinically significant mental health issuesā€. Five percent of Adults that were in the foster care system when they were adolescents suffer from PTSD from the trauma that occurred when they were in group homes or going from home to home looking for stability. Anxiety and depression are two of the many risk factors that affect kids when it comes to their mental health. Children who experience unstable family dynamics, frequent changes in their surroundings, and exposure to trauma are more likely to develop mental illnesses as well. The foster care system lack instability. This instability can cause feelings of loss, abandonment, and insecurity, which can impede the formation of important emotional attachments and possibly result in long-term problems with relationships and mental health. Providing a safe and supportive environment for these kids requires acknowledging and resolving these issues. The article recognizes that being in a group setting causes the rates of mental health illness to soar.

 

In the third source ā€œUnderstanding The Mental Health Risks For Children In Foster Careā€ by Julia Marie Hogan is a informative article that talks about the prevalence of mental health challenges in foster care children and the risk factors for kids in foster care. They explain how the foster care system brings trauma to a child and and are more subsequent to abuse, substance abuse and experiencing homelessness. IfĀ I could say anything to the author, it would be that the foster care system is failing children overall and that she did a great job of communicating the message that children need to be handled better and given more attention.