For foster children, relatives can make all the difference

South Africa News News

For foster children, relatives can make all the difference
South Africa Latest News,South Africa Headlines
  • 📰 TheEconomist
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 56 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 26%
  • Publisher: 92%

Relatives are less likely than foster parents to request that poorly behaved children be removed. And they are more likely to take in groups of siblings, who are routinely separated in the care system

Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskAmong the many ways in which children in care get off to a bad start is in their education. About half do not finish high school. Only 3% get a college degree. Living with a relative, however, especially at the age when a child is moving out of the care system but has not yet finished education, can make a crucial difference.

About 424,000 children are in care in America, most of them with foster parents. Because demand for foster parents exceeds supply in many places, recruitment and vetting can be inadequate. Too many children end up in group homes, meant as a stopgap, for the long term. One solution is to make it easier for relatives to become licensed as foster parents. This can be an onerous process, some parts of which make little sense when applied to relatives. A requirement to provide a certain amount of living space, for example, should not prevent a woman living in a modest two-bedroom flat from taking in her four grandchildren.

Poverty itself can be a reason why children are removed from their families. America has one of the highest child-poverty rates in the industrialised world. Many people who work with children say it is commonly assumed that a child living in a house in which the electricity has been turned off or the fridge is empty should be removed. It would often be better to provide financial support, says Mr Cancel, including to those family members who might take a child in.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

TheEconomist /  🏆 6. in UK

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

My Name is Leon review: Adaptation is both heart-wrenching and upliftingMy Name is Leon review: Adaptation is both heart-wrenching and upliftingREVIEW: Newcomer Cole Martin is captivating as a young boy whose life is turned upside down when he is taken into foster care ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read more »

Pressure mounts on Senate to act on gun safety amid Republican resistancePressure mounts on Senate to act on gun safety amid Republican resistanceRelatives of victims urge action while group of over 220 CEOS send joint letter pushing Senate to address gun violence
Read more »

NSPCC says child cruelty offences rose by a quarter in a yearNSPCC says child cruelty offences rose by a quarter in a yearThe child protection charity collected figures on offences from police forces across England.
Read more »

South Africa has taken a dangerously xenophobic turnSouth Africa has taken a dangerously xenophobic turnOne in eight South Africans say they have taken part in “violent action” against immigrants; almost as many say they would be prepared to do so
Read more »

Michael Owen Defends Love Island Daughter Gemma Over Age CommentsMichael Owen Defends Love Island Daughter Gemma Over Age Comments“She has had two years more than I had to get ready for life in the public eye... she’s a mature 19.'
Read more »

The hotheads who could start a cold warThe hotheads who could start a cold warChina’s deep distrust of America and the West is making it reckless
Read more »



Render Time: 2025-04-03 08:22:42