ABSTRACT
Children who are removed their families of origin and enter a government system are part of a system of care called juvenile dependency, out-of-home-care, or foster care. Like refugees their links to the past, their voices are often lost and there is no one to hold their story. While some youth removed from their biological parents achieve stability, productivity, and well-being, research has suggested that the population as a whole is highly vulnerable and in need of social policy and programs to support them in many aspects of their lives. This chapter provides an overview of statistics and history of child removal and the foster care system, highlighting court and legal procedure and guidelines, child representation and advocacy, and core issues of attachment and loyalty, and cultural, racial and economic disparities. Children's voices in this process will be delineated through vignettes and will follow the story of a young child removed from her family and placed in foster care. A case is made for improved links, in a system fraught with complexities, among courts, social services, and mental health to help parents, foster parents, children and youth achieve more positive outcomes.
