African-American Children in the Foster Care System Analytical Essay by Top Papers

The paper reveals that studies indicate that from 70% to 80% of children in the foster care system with mental disorders do not receive proper care (Koppelman, 2004). The paper explains that when such needs go unmet, the welfare system may be strained, since children with mental health problems may try the patience of both social workers and foster parents and this can result in placement and movement from family to family. The paper relates that according to Kerker and Dore (2006), up to 80% of foster children have serious mental health problems, which is quite high when compared to children in the general population living with their own families at 16% to 22%.