ASA Format Research Paper - Literature Review

Adoption & foster care have fought a continuous battle with providing children with proper stable homes to live in. Not accounting for the external factors (such as irresponsible guardians) there, are many internal factors that contribute to the instability of the foster care system. Researching and examining the infrastructure of the foster care system led to several discoveries about the many flaws that exist within the system. The lack of resources, quality assurance (between guardian and child) & unorganized administration, has led to numerous counts of children being lost and/or destroyed by a system “intended” to aid them. Yet, at the same time the foster care system also fails in reforming the parents (or former guardians) of the children. The judicial system ensures that many parents receive a TPR (termination of parental rights) essentially severing the relationship between parent & child, while also contributing to the psychological trauma of foster care. Nonetheless the near future of foster care seems optimistic due to the various changes in factors of the system such as, transracial adoption & LGBTQ individuals moving to adopt. To enhance and strengthen my understanding of foster care these articles were examined under a thematic approach. With the goal of identifying the consistencies of instability that chaotically hamper the foster care system.

The supposed reformations that are to be provided to parents, separated from their children, does not effectively exist within the foster care system. While on the other hand many parents fail to make the proper steps towards their own reformation, the system fails to support those afflicted by a mental illness (specifically fathers). “Issues with mental health…contribute to fathers engaging in abusive or neglectful behaviors toward children.” Accounted sources of child abuse have documented evidence of an underlying affliction (or substance abuse), that negatively impaired the judgement & actions of many fathers. It is essential for many children that their parental relationship be healthy, and fathers are the foundational step within this model. Many fathers who have lost their rights allowed their afflictions to impede their commitment to parenting overall. “Might help fathers to identify how his mental health issue affects the way he conceptualizes himself as a father.” Inversely, while identifying the source of many abuse cases, it would be also beneficial for these fathers to be given the proper supports to improve themselves and evaluate their ability & aptitude. While there are expectations of responsibility already set upon the parents, there must be greater expectations set for the foster care system.

The standard of quality assurance within the foster care system has been subpar in regard to finding permanent homes for adolescents. Not only is there an outstanding lack of adults available to adopt, but there is also a bias (or lack of concern) in adopting children of certain racial backgrounds. There is a public perception towards viewing the adoption process and foster children as a “hobby interest.” With many parents (or guardians) looking for foreign children with features attractive to them, as if they are scouting for a car. As noted by researchers Zhang & Lee in their academic journal, Intercountry Versus Transracial Adoption, they assert that on a fundamental level the psychological process of adoption has a greater attraction to international rather than domestic affairs. Stating “many researchers believe adoption has reinforced racial division & hierarchies.” (Zhang & Lee, 2011:76) Specifically, within the United States numerous black children are lost within the foster care system, due to there being stereotypes projected upon them. Physically, many children become entrapped within a system that lacks the proper resources to provide them with an adequate shelter. In regards to their mental well-being these children are imprinted with, the trauma that is the turbulence of the foster care system. “Blaming inner-city poor Blacks for creating many social problems, from welfare cheats to drug-affected babies” (Zhang & Lee p.78). Not only is there an aesthetic bias, but there is also an amount social prejudice rooted, towards not adopting black children. The foundation of the modern foster care system has a disproportionate representation towards the number of African American who are adopted. While there have been multiple attempts in reforming the transracial policies and promoting domestic adoptions, government policy favors intercontinental adoptions. “Adoptive families also benefit financially from recent legislation such as adoption tax credits” (Zhang & Lee, p.80). Certain legislative acts have provided financial benefits towards ICA, by providing tax credits for foreign children (and the added benefit of effortless access for parental rights), ironically enough the system also actively hinders the adoption of black children.

Some guardians may have an ulterior motive for adoption however, there is a growing population of guardians who seek to adopt for altruistic reasons. Many LGBTQ individuals are migrating to adoption, which is making a difference in combating the over-crowdedness of foster care. “One overarching theme was identified as seeking permanency,” asserted by researchers Costa and Tasker, that many LGBTQ individuals are motivated to adopt for altruistic reasons beyond personal goals. Be that as it may, people of the LGBTQ community may face various amounts of resistance from society. “Due to certain perceived archetypes of lesbians and gay men, they are highly likely to be rejected by social workers as suitable adopters because they fail to reproduce the heteronormative and highly gendered expectations of what a “good parent” is” (Costa and Tasker, 4159). Not just within the US but in other foreign country’s LGBTQ individuals are persecuted or face many legal obstructions in the adoption process. Disregarding their resources and competency to be a parent, many individuals may not be able to adopt simply due to social stigmas.

The external resistance LGBTQ individuals may face when moving to adopt may be found within negative public perceptions, which has no benefits besides further hindering the adoption process. This hindrance also indirectly feeds into the turbulence that many adolescents face, and the entrapment of the foster care system. The initial goal and foundation of the foster care system should be to protect and shield adolescents from familial maltreatment. Yet, due to insufficient resources & dysfunctional environments the foster care system only results in amplifying problematic behaviors & furthering the issues of adolescents. While modern laws have made efforts towards social reform and along with the growing population of parents willing to adopt children, there is still much progress to be made with improving the foundation of the foster care system. The negative biases that certain social workers may have must be “de-programmed”, against the LGBTQ individuals seeking to adopt. In addition to the requirement of additional resources for the foster care system to properly function and assure quality shelter for each of its adolescents. Reviewing through each of these sources there was a common theme of among each of the researchers in that the foster care system has insufficient resources, and inadequate individuals, along with a combative legislation that all contribute to its inefficient process and turbulent administration.

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