Safety Plan in Response to Foster Child's Death

1.http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/increase-in-foster-child-deaths-prompts-safety-pla/nbYXd/

2. Category of Problem/Issue: Social Services

3. Level of Problem: National

4. The article concerns:
-There have been 8 foster child deaths in 2013, and out of those 8, 7 have been related to negligence, and one to abuse.

5. Why is this important to individuals/families OR How does it affect individuals/families?

-This safety plan could potentially improve the living conditions and lives of foster children who could be living in negligent or abusive homes. Some examples include a two year old who died after her foster mother slammed her head on the floor and an 11 month old baby just last week was fatally injured near the aunt's home in Cedar Park.

6. What are your views on the issue/problem?

-The safety plan is going to increase the number of unannounced visits to all foster homes, which I think will probably be the most effective way to help detect an unsafe or unstable environment. Also, by limiting the number of medically needy foster children will help avoid any neglect charges. I don't personally know very much about foster homes, but from what I know, they are usually not in very stable homes or even neighborhoods. This affects these children and they way they are raised, and ultimately affects the kinds of adults they grow up to be. When children are not raised in stable homes, or even in abusive homes, they tend to get in trouble and other problems down the road. It's a cycle that has to be broken.