Growing Up in the Care of Strangers:: The Experiences, Insights and Recommendations of Eleven Former Foster Kids

Growing up in placement takes a toll, not just on the children in the foster care system but also on the professionals charged with their care. They all make critical decisions that can affect a child's life forever ... which is why this book plays a valuable role in foster care training.

The purpose of this book is to provide child welfare professionals insightful feedback from foster care alumni who grew up in

•Foster care
•Kinship care
•Orphanage
•Group home
•Juvenile justice
•Adoptive and
•Mental health placements.

These former foster children have chosen to reflect on their childhood experiences through the lens of adult professionals so that their unique knowledge might reach receptive minds looking to improve services to youth living in foster care.

What makes this book particularly instructive derives from the authors’ credentials.

They are college-educated adults who masterfully intertwine their childhood stories with mature perspective and their own professional expertise.

We purposely sought out college-educated professionals who were willing to do the hard work required to delve into their memories of childhood and put their painful remembrances and recommendations for change on paper so that others might learn from their lifetime of experiences.

However, we did seek diversity as regards type of placement, gender, race and age.

Therefore, the authors represent the gamut of placement experiences.

Three of the 11 authors hold bachelor degrees. Eight have postgraduate degrees.

They are white and black, male and female and range in age from their mid 20s to late 60s.

The 40-year span from the youngest to the oldest author gives these stories a unique perspective regarding the history of the foster care system because so much happened in children’s social services over the four decades of placement experiences these authors represent.

The authors also differentiate themselves from the norm by the depth and breadth of their professional expertise. For example:

•More than half worked directly with children in care at some point in their career
•Others hold administrative positions in programs for children in placement
•Some conduct research about youth at risk issues and contribute to the literature by writing books, scholarly articles and popular publications
•A few teach or mentor social work students
•Many train and educate children’s services professionals
•All remain deeply committed to advancing the quality of care for this vulnerable group of children whose welfare rests with people who have not experienced the potentially devastating effects of removal from their families and growing up in the care of strangers.

Abuse, neglect, parental death and acute family dysfunction typify the reasons why the authors required out-of-home care.

Most of them lived in multiple placements, as many as 17.

Over half experienced several types of placement.

The majority spent all or most of their time in foster care placements, including foster families, kinship care and group homes.

Their pre-placement memories may shock you.

Their in-placement experiences may alarm you.

Their post-placement accomplishments may inspire you.

Most of all, their insights and recommendations may enlighten you.

Purchase this book and learn the eye-opening information about foster care these 11 authors have discovered from their personal and professional experiences.

Personal experience DOES make the difference!