This document provides an overview of a social worker's role in the foster care system. It discusses how social workers advocate for foster children's needs, work to establish permanency goals, facilitate placements and home visits. The document also examines challenges social workers face like large caseloads, emotional strain, and a lack of stability for children. Interviews with two social workers highlight how empowering children and harnessing their strengths is important, as is building relationships with parents. Both social workers find the broken foster care system frustrating but feel their work is rewarding.

1. A Social Worker’s Role in the Foster Care System
Katie Baller
Dr. Penelope Moore
SOW 3220: Social Work Processes I
December 2, 2014

2. Generalist social work practitioners may be employed in a number of different settings,
working with varying populations. These can range from working with survivors of domestic
violence to working with homeless populations, from working with the HIV/AIDS population to
working in prisons, or from working with survivors of elder abuse to working with those in the
foster care system. This paper will focus on foster care as a field of practice. In today’s society,
foster care and its associated programs are essential to ensuring the well being of both children,
and their parents. The system must work to ensure the mental, physical and emotional safety of
the children at home, in their schools and within the community. It is essential that social
workers meet with the parents as well, to try to gain an understanding of the circumstances that
involved the parents and their children in the system and to work with these parents to overcome
these circumstances and explore possibilities of reunification.
According to the Code of Federal Regulations, foster care is at least “24-hour substitute
care for children outside their homes” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013). Likewise,
according to the Child Trends Databank, “children are placed in foster care when a child
protective services worker and court have determined that it is not safe for the child to remain at
home” (2014). Many of these children placed in foster care are those who have been found
delinquent, survivors of physical or sexual abuse, or those who have been neglected.
In 2012, there were nearly 400,000 children in the United States foster care system. Of
these, 28% were placed in kinship care (care with a relative or other family member), 47% were
placed in non-kinship foster homes, 15% found placement in institutions and group homes, 6%
were taking part in home visits on a trial basis, and the remaining 6% were placed in pre-
adoptive homes, were independents with supervision or were runaways. The average age of a
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3. child entering foster care was 8.5 years of age, with an average length of stay in the foster care
system of 13.4 months. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013)
For those in foster care, permanency goals are established. In 2012, 53% of children in
foster care had permanency goals of reunification with their families, 24% had goals of adoption,
5% had goals of emancipation, 3% had goals of kinship placement, and 5% had goals of staying
in foster care long term. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013)
Over the years, congress has passed legislation to better the foster care system. The major
legislation regarding foster care was first introduced in 1980 with the Adoption Assistance and
Child Welfare Act, with the goals of preserving families and working towards permanency, while
also giving the courts a larger role in child welfare cases. In 1997, legislation was introduced
with a very heavy emphasis on permanence for children who enter into the foster care system,
through the Adoption and Safe Families Act. This act also served to work towards increased
safety and well being for children in foster care, while again adding to the courts role in the
realm of child welfare. In addition, the act moved towards creating measures for how well states
work towards meeting federal goals. (Fostering the Future, 2004)
More recently, legislation was passed in 2008 for the Fostering Connections to Success
and Improving Adoptions Act, which established regulation and new laws regarding many
aspects of the foster care system. This bill created incentives for adopting children in foster care
(especially older youths and youths with disabilities and special needs); set aside federal
resources to help those in kinship care; provided funding for care in tribal territories, so that
these children may remain in their communities; allowed for states to continue to provide care
for children through the age of twenty-one; established more oversight of educational and health
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4. needs; and ensured “reasonable efforts” be made to place siblings together. (Pew Commission on
Foster Care, 2008)
Through the foster care system, it is the social workers job to do everything he/ she can
do to advocate for the needs of these foster children. Whether this be fighting for legislation that
works towards better and more stable conditions for foster children on the macro level or
working hand in hand with children and their parents towards permanency goals. Social workers
on the micro level work to advocate for the physical, emotional, and mental needs of the child
and to develop and work towards permanency goals, as well as concurrent goals to ensure the
safety and well being of the child (Sherman, 2014). Social workers may also work with parents
toward preparation for reunification with their children. In addition, it is the social workers job to
facilitate placements and to follow up on placements through home visits. This supervision helps
to ensure that the child’s needs in the placement home—whether this be a foster home, pre-
adoptive home, kinship care, or placement back with the child’s own family—are continuing to
be met.
It is essential that social workers try to work with children to develop goals and work
towards a future that the children can see for themselves. When social workers work with clients
toward goals, in any practice setting, it allows the client to regain at least some sense of control
over their lives and shows them that they are able. This sense of empowerment through the
strengths perspective can be vital when working with foster children, their parents, and even with
potential adoptive parents. (Saleebey, 2013)
Despite all of these efforts by legislation and social workers, those who are placed in
foster care continue to lack stability. This stability could take the form of supportive parents,
consistent education, familiarity of community or neighborhood, complete medical records,
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5. security of having siblings close, or having a place to call home (Fostering the Future, 2004). In
fact, according to the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, a foster child spends time in
an average of three foster homes before aging out of the system or obtaining permanency (Time
for Reform, 2007). Due to these circumstances, those in foster care have many more risk factors
than those in stable family environments. According to the Child Trends Databank, those in
foster care are at a higher risk for health problems (including physical, mental, or general health
conditions), drug exposure/use, learning disabilities, and behavioral or emotional problems
(2014). Of those aging out of foster care, only 48% had graduated high school at the time of
discharge (Child Trends Databank, 2014). In addition, those who grew up in the foster care
system, as adults were found to be at a greater risk for homelessness, unemployment and other
problems (Fostering the Future, 2004).
These are not the only limitations that exist for social workers in the foster care field.
Many social workers burn out because of emotional strain and investment they have in these
children’s lives. Social workers worry about the outcomes for each foster child, but with
extended court authority on cases, the best outcomes for foster children cannot always be
guaranteed. In addition, once children turn eighteen, they are old enough to age out of the system
and refuse care, even if the social worker feels it is in their best interest to remain in care.
Ultimately every decision must be made with the child, his/ her guardians, and the courts.
As with any practice setting, there may arise ethical dilemmas about how to act in a given
situation. A commonly arising ethical dilemma for social workers in the foster care field has to
do with weighing the rights of parents against the rights of children to determine how the system
should be set up and how parents should be held accountable. According to Barbara Pine,
“emphasis on children’s rights… has increased the potential for conflict between the rights of a
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6. parent to freedom from intrusion and those of a child to freedom from harm” (1987).
Practitioners must make decisions about taking children from their homes or placements or
leaving them in a potentially harmful situation. In addition, gaps between legal, societal and
practice change can create even more confusion regarding questions of ethics. Pine found that
oftentimes, “pressures for dealing with the many crucial problems in delivering child welfare
services, frequently lead to concrete solutions, often at the expense of consideration of values”
(1987). In other words, these gaps make it difficult to focus on what the most ethically sound
decision is, and instead force the practitioner to make decisions almost solely based on being
able to meet mandates. This is compounded by the “lack of clear guidelines and models for
decision making” within practice (Pine, 1987). All of this can make it difficult to follow the
ethical guidelines of NASW. (Pine, 1987)
Through research, many theories have been established to guide social workers in their
practice. One of particular importance for those working with children in the foster care system
or in child welfare in general, is the attachment theory. According to the attachment theory,
throughout the first few years of a child’s life, the child begins to develop a sense of self and
others. These cognitive models are formed through interactions with their first caregivers. These
cognitive models guide the interactions the child has with others throughout their lives. The
theory “proposes that family problems are perpetuated intergenerationally through views of self
and others developed in childhood and imposed on subsequent relationships including those with
one’s own children” (McMillen & Rideout, 1996). In other words, those who experience
“adverse childhood events” are more likely to develop insecure attachment patterns in the form
of negative views of the self and others (McMillen & Rideout, 1996). According to McMillen
and Rideout, studies assessing the attachment styles of multiple generations of families found
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7. that attachment patterns are cyclical, meaning that a parent’s attachment to their parent may
mirror that of the attachment pattern between themself and their own child. (McMillen &
Rideout, 1996)
It is clear that the attachment theory can be of use to those working in the foster care and
child welfare systems, as the theory shows that “children who experience maltreatment,
separation, and loss of their primary caregivers seem to have difficulty establishing secure
attachments to subsequent caregivers” (Frey, Cushing, Freundlich, & Brenner, 2008). This may
help to explain why children may act out or separate themselves from foster or pre-adoptive
parents.
According to the theory, intervention can take many different forms. First, these
attachment styles may be altered through making changes in the current relationship the child has
with those first caregivers. Intervention may also take the form of finding strength through other
“powerful positive relationships” or by repeated interactions with those who break the form of
these early models (McMillen & Rideout, 1996). In addition, adults who formed insecure
attachments as children may be assisted in breaking these patterns by finding different ways of
viewing the negative experiences they had as children. For example, by being able to talk about
these experiences honestly and exploring the ways in which these experiences shaped the person
they have become. Applying the attachment theory with both parents and children in foster care
can help a social worker to develop a better understanding of both groups and the reasoning for
their actions. As stated previously, the theory may also be helpful when trying to place foster
children. (McMillen & Rideout, 1996)
The definitions and theoretical aspects of a subject may only provide us with certain
information though. By facilitating conversations with those in the field, a better understanding
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8. for what work is like in the field of practice can be gained. For these purposes, interviews with
Kristen Peralta and Kayleigh Sherman were conducted.
In her duties working as a social worker at Abbott House, Kristen Peralta has worked
with a caseload of about six children, fourteen to seventeen years of age, who have
developmental disabilities, mental health issues, or severe emotional disturbance (SED). At the
time of enrollment, the child must be enrolled in foster care, but children are permitted to remain
in the program even after they are discharged from the foster care system. Abbot has about
fourteen different programs, including respite, crisis intervention, and family/ caregiver support.
Through her work, Peralta works with schools, and the family/ caregiver to get the most
complete picture possible of each child’s life. This allows her to see the reasoning for actions and
look at all aspects of a client’s life to gain a better understanding. (Peralta, 2014)
Practicing as a social worker in the Pleasantville Cottage School, a program through the
Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA), Kayleigh Sherman works directly with foster care boys
with family situational or behavioral problems in a residential facility. Many of the cases that go
through the agency are abuse or neglect cases, and in some situations, the child has been
previously incarcerated. The agency works with boys aged twelve to twenty-one, but Sherman
works with those aged thirteen to sixteen. Her work involves court visits, mostly for permanency
hearings every six months; home visits, to gain an awareness of community and family; and
works towards these permanency goals, be it through working with the family towards
reunification or assisting the child in preparation for independent living, by helping the children
find independent housing and giving them the skills they need to navigate life on their own.
Through her work, Sherman has dealt with issues among the residents regarding substance
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9. abuse, suicide attempts, and children going “AWOL” (for up to a year and a half period of time).
(Sherman, 2014)
Both Peralta and Sherman have found through their work that the most important thing to
do when working with foster children is to empower them by giving them back some control of
their lives through choices, no matter how small (2014). Peralta stresses that because children are
so perceptive, talking down to them will only hinder any possible progress (2014). She says that
to get children engaged, you need to have a lot of tricks. In addition, she notes that if a child is
unable to talk to the social worker, ensuring that there is someone that the child can open up to is
vital (Peralta, 2014). Sherman stresses that the way a child is perceived affects everything
(2014). She says that when working with children who have had adverse experiences, it is
important that those around them see the child as more than what has happened to them
(Sherman, 2014). Due to their circumstances, many of foster children lack role models and are
unable to see themselves as deserving or being able to feel proud of themselves (Sherman, 2014).
Through all of this though, Peralta expresses that her biggest frustration often comes from how
smart and capable foster children can be. They use these strengths to get out of things, which
often works because people underestimate them and let things slide because of their
circumstances. It is important to harness these strengths into something more positive and
productive. (Peralta, 2014)
Peralta and Sherman also agreed that working with parents can be very difficult. Sherman
highlights how difficult it can be to “frame” things for parents and to make them listen, but says
that visits with parents do work (2014). Peralta also notes that parents may find it difficult to
work with social workers who may lack experience, especially parental or even professional
experience because of how young the social worker may be. She says that a way to get around
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10. this to form a relationship with the parents. It is important to “join forces” with them by showing
them that working together is in their best interest. In addition, it is helpful to make parents think
that they came up with an idea, to allow them to feel control over the situation.
Though working with parents can be difficult, both Peralta and Sherman consented that
their least favorite aspect of their social work practice is working in a broken system. Peralta
says that the system lacks logical functioning, communication and organization (2014). Sherman
agrees, saying that oftentimes, the courts send kids home when the situation may not actually be
safe for them, and other times, the courts refuse to send children home, even when the social
workers have found the home to be a suitable environment for the child (2014). Peralta concurs,
explaining that even though social workers support permanency placement, they lack any real
legal authority or say in placement (2014). Sherman continues by saying that the court mandates
—of two home visits per month—are completely useless in light of the heavy caseloads each
social worker has (Sherman, 2014).
Overall though, both Peralta and Sherman make recommendations for those interested to
go into the field. They both say that they cannot imagine themselves doing anything else (Peralta
& Sherman, 2014). Peralta says that even though the job is exhausting, it is so gratifying. She
shares that the best part of her job is seeing the resiliency in the children with whom she works.
She says that the little things are what make the job worth it, like the way a child looks at her
when they prove others wrong. She says that so many people are so focused on the negative
experiences foster children have had, but she is more impressed by the things they are capable of
in spite of these experiences. (Peralta, 2014)
Sherman shares that the best part of her job is facilitating reunification between children
and their families. She says it is amazing to see something “work against all odds.” In addition,
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11. she says that seeing children who are glad to see her and look forward to seeing her adds to her
overall enjoyment of her job. She says that knowing that she is able to make a difference in the
lives of children makes it all worth it. (Sherman, 2014)
With the all of the good and the bad, social work practice can be emotionally draining, as
it is nearly impossible not to become invested. Throughout the interviews, Peralta and Sherman
stressed the importance of self-care and gave guidelines and advice for how to maintain this care
(2014). Sherman explains the need for supports within the field by emphasizing sometimes she
just needs to vent about her day, and nobody outside the field can understand her experiences
like another social worker can. As an example, she mentions how she has vented to her husband
or friends outside of the field about a bad day and their solution is for her to quit. Sometimes
talking about things can help us to process them, but she never wants to quit and the next day she
may go into work and forget about her bad day when she sees the smiles of the children who are
happy to see her. It is important to have supports that can understand the frustrations of practice.
Through all of the research and interviews, it is clear that there are many aspects to
working in the foster care field of practice, which can make a social worker’s job very
complicated. There is only so much a social worker can do within the field, through advocating
for foster children through new legislation or advocating for a particular foster child within their
own community. Social workers strengths within the field rely on their ability to help foster
children discover their own strengths and to treat children for who they are, not what they have
experienced. When working so closely with foster children, it can be difficult not to become
invested, which is one reason that the social work career as a whole focuses so much on self-
care. Though I am sure that working in this particular field of practice has its difficulties, through
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12. research and hearing about the real world experiences of Kristen Peralta and Kayleigh Sherman,
my interest in working in the field has only increased.
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13. References
Child trends databank. (2014, July). Foster Care.
Child welfare information gateway. (2013). Foster care statistics 2012. Washington, DC: U.S.
department of health and human services, children’s bureau.
Frey, L., Cushing, G., Freundlich, M., & Brenner, E. (2008). Achieving permanency for youth in
foster care: Assessing and strengthening emotional security. Child & Family Social Work,
13(2), 218-226. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2007.00539.x
McMillen, J. C., & Rideout, G. B. (1996). Breaking intergenerational cycles: Theoretical tools
for social workers. Social Service Review, 70(3), 378-399.
Peralta, K. (2014, October 14). Fields of practice interview with Kristen Peralta [Personal
interview].
The pew charitable trust, pew commission on children in foster care. (2008, October 08). New
law is designed to improve lives, outcomes of nation’s foster children and youth. [Press
Release]
The pew commission on children in foster care. (2004, May 01). Fostering the future: Safety,
permanence, and well-being for children in foster care.
The pew commission on children in foster care. (2007, March 01). Time for reform: Too many
birthdays in foster care.
Pine, B. A. (1987). Strategies for more ethical decision making in child welfare practice. Child
Welfare, 66(4), 315-326.
Saleebey, D. (2013). Introduction: Power in the people. In The strengths perspective in social
work practice (pp. 1-23). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Sherman, K. (2014, October 14). Fields of practice interview with Kayleigh Sherman [Personal
interview].
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