The Politics of Foster Care Administration in the United States

The Politics of Foster Care Administration in the United States PDF

Author: Rebecca H. Padot

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-10-10

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 131769340X

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Government-by-proxy and intergovernmental relations profoundly affect the public administration of foster care. Using examples from foster care systems in the states of Delaware, Michigan, New York, and Rhode Island, Rebecca Padot eloquently combines a rigorous methodology and theory work to expose the conditions under which foster care outcomes can be improved. The cases selected suggest that the federal government has increased its focus on measuring the performance of state programs while simultaneously decreasing its funding of state foster care programs and offering the states very little management or mentorship. Padot turns the page and recommends administrators place a greater priority on building community partners, integrating the advice of mentors, providing leadership from public managers, and cultivating relationships with the federal government. An original and timely resource for scholars and practitioners, this book represents a significant contribution to our understanding of how leadership and management variables may be associated with more positive foster care practices and performance in the United States.

The Politicization of Foster Care in New York City

The Politicization of Foster Care in New York City PDF

Author: L. Trevor Grant

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9780965373401

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Reviews & analyzes the politicization of the labyrinthine foster care system in New York City. Emphasis is placed on the political influences & interferences in the foster care system, & lack of direction & initiatives of senior administrators who are political appointees of the Mayor. Political & ideological agendas are responsible for undermining the credibility & the effectiveness of the child welfare agency. The lack of planning & concern for its social workers & the lack of professionalism demonstrate the many contradictions of the agency. The privatization & contracting out of foster care services to voluntary agencies by the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) is discussed. "An important book based on both personal experience & meticulous, scholarly research."--Seth Farber, Ph.D., author of Madness, Heresy, & the Rumor of Angels. "This book provides the strongest indictment ever seen yet of the fiscally driven & morally insensitive child welfare system."--Amy Neustein, Ph.D., Founder: Help Us Regain the Children (HURT). To order send $13.95 plus $3.00 shipping & handling for each copy to: L. Trevor Grant, P.O. Box 311031, Jamaica, NY 11431- 1031. Phone (718) 523-8911.

Foster Care and Best Interests of the Child

Foster Care and Best Interests of the Child PDF

Author: Sarah A. Font

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-03-09

Total Pages: 114

ISBN-13: 303041146X

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This brief examines the U.S. foster care system and seeks to explain why the foster care system functions as it does and how it can be improved to serve the best interest of children. It defines and evaluates key challenges that undermine child safety and well-being in the current foster care system. Chapters highlight the competing values and priorities of the system as well as the pros and cons for the use of foster care. In addition, chapters assess whether the performance objectives in which states are evaluated by the federal government are sufficient to achieve positive health and well-being outcomes for children who experience foster care. Finally, it offers recommendations for improving the system and maximizing positive outcomes. Topics featured in this brief include: Legal aspects of removal and placement of children in foster care. The effectiveness of prior efforts to reform foster care. The regulation and quality of foster homes. Support for youth aging out of the foster care system. Racial and ethnic disparities in the foster care system. Foster Care and the Best Interests of the Child is a must-have resource for policy makers and related professionals, graduate students, and researchers in child and school psychology, family studies, public health, social work, law/criminal justice, and sociology.

Scandalous Politics

Scandalous Politics PDF

Author: Juliet F. Gainsborough

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2010-11-15

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 1589016157

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Little work has been done to systematically analyze how high-profile incidents of child neglect and abuse shape child welfare policymaking in the United States. In Scandalous Politics, Juliet Gainsborough presents quantitative analysis of all fifty states and qualitative case studies of three states (Florida, Colorado, and New Jersey) that reveal how well-publicized child welfare scandals result in adoption of new legislation and new administrative procedures. Gainsborough’s quantitative analysis suggests that child welfare policymaking is frequently reactive, while the case studies provide more detail about variations and the legislative process. For example, the case studies illustrate how the nature and extent of the policy response varies according to particular characteristics of the political environment in the state and the administrative structure of the child welfare system. Scandalous Politics increases our understanding of the politics of child welfare at both the state and federal level and provides new insights into existing theories of agenda-setting and the policy process. It will be of interest to everyone involved with child welfare policymaking and especially public policy and public administration scholars.