Argumentative essay

The Foster Care System 

A huge problem in our nation is our foster care system. Foster care is a temporary service provided by the state for the children who are not able to live with their family for a variety of reasons. The foster care system is supposed to help children find a better living environment and make sure that the children are protected. However, that is not the case in many situations. The foster care system is failing many children. These children are often put into foster homes where they are mistreated or not properly cared for. Some of the problems with the system include the foster care being overcrowded with foster children, they are letting teens age out of the system without the proper care, and there is not enough focus on trying to help these children get ahead in life.  One of the biggest problems with the foster care system is the overcrowding. In some cases, the foster homes pack rooms with several beds in order to fit more children into the home. When having many children packed into the same room, they have less privacy. This will result in the children getting into disagreements which will often lead to fights. Another problem in overcrowded foster homes is food shortages. If a child feels as if their foster parent has given them less food than the other children in the home, they will try to fight over the food. Due to the children worrying about food, they will often hoard food.  The second issue is that the system is letting teens age out of the system without proper care. To prevent this, the social workers should help provide the teen with a mentor who can let them know they are still there for them and will continue to support them as they enter a new phase in their life. People who are not social workers or foster parents can also offer teens the same support. If you or someone you know know a teen in your community who could use some support, you could become the teens mentor and provide them with support. You could also help these teens by looking into programs that provide them with the things that they need or could be useful to them such as clothes, shoes, and personal hygiene supplies. There are other organizations that provide the foster youth with college funding, scholarships, care packages, and laptops for school. 

The third issue with the foster care system is that they do not focus enough on trying to help these children get ahead in life. Removing a child from a home, regardless of the reason, can be traumatic for the child. The child can suffer from trauma, which can affect every aspect of the child’s life. Most foster children have worse educational outcomes than other children. These children often dropout of school and only a few will graduate high school and continue their education. The foster care system and the schools should be alert to the challenges these children and teens may face. They should start by making sure the students have the resources they need. By helping these students succeed, they are breaking the cycle. 

In order to help these children, the foster care system must improve. The system must help these children find a better living environment and make sure that they are protected. We must give these children the support system they need in order to get ahead in life. We need to help them see that they have people in their lives who care for them. This will show the foster children that they have people who still care about them and they do not have to go through things alone