Safety and Stability for Foster Children: a Developmental Perspective
Children, Families, and Foster Care Safety and Stability for Foster Children: A Developmental Perspective Brenda Jones Harden SUMMARY Children in foster care face a challenging jour- ders, compromised brain functioning, inade- ney through childhood. In addition to the quate social skills, and mental health difficul- troubling family circumstances that bring them ties. into state care, they face additional difficulties ◗ Providing stable and nurturing families can within the child welfare system that may further bolster the resilience of children in care and compromise their healthy development. This ameliorate negative impacts on their develop- article discusses the importance of safety and mental outcomes. stability to healthy child development and reviews the research on the risks associated with mal- The author concludes that developmentally- treatment and the foster care experience. It finds: sensitive child welfare policies and practices designed to promote the well-being of the ◗ Family stability is best viewed as a process of whole child, such as ongoing screening and caregiving practices that, when present, can assessment and coordinated systems of care, are greatly facilitate healthy child development. needed to facilitate the healthy development of ◗ Children in foster care, as a result of exposure children in foster care. to risk factors such as poverty, maltreatment, and the foster care experience, face multiple Brenda Jones Harden, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the Institute for Child Study in the Department of threats to their healthy development, includ- Human Development at the University of Maryland, ing poor physical health, attachment disor- College Park. www.futureofchildren.org 31 Jones Harden rotecting and nurturing the young is a uni- care due to their exposure to maltreatment, family versal goal across human cultures.
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