ABSTRACT
Children in the foster care system take into account a number of social, emotional, financial, legal, and educational factors in forming their perceptions of themselves and their accomplishments. The number of children in foster care in America increased from 275,000 in 1988 to 429,000 in 1994 (Mech, 1994), and, of that number, 55% were under the age of 13. Many of these children remain in care until they emancipate at the age of 18, and less than 20% of the adolescents will return to their families (McFadden, 1989). Children in foster home care placements often are referred to as “nobody’s children.” Gil (1982) noted that parental abuse and neglect was the reason for nearly 50% of foster care placements in California. Few of these children leave their natural families by choice or because of their own behavior.
