The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

149 “Foster Care: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” by Stephen Combs Instructor’s Notes This assignment required students to fully explore all sides of an issue while maintaining a neutral point of view. Why might such an exploration be important both inside and outside of the classroom? What other writing genres might require such a stance? What factors would be important when selecting sources for this specific genre? Writers’ Biography Stephen Combs is a second-year Finance major from Miamisburg, Ohio. Stephen takes academics very seriously. As far as writing goes, he enjoys blogging and writing an occasional poem or two but is not a big fan of academic writing. However, Stephen enjoys a good challenge, and academic writing provides that for him. In his spare time, he enjoys playing most every sport in existence, working, playing the ukulele, and hanging out with friends and family. Foster Care: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Opinions pertaining to out-of-home care, better known as foster care, tend to vary significantly in the United States. The need for such a system is undeniable, yet many wonder if the federal government is doing too much or too little. Some previously fostered children become valued members of society, while many others find themselves in prisons or on the street. The United States government provides funding and services in order to improve the living situation of maltreated children. One of the ways in which they do this is by placing the mistreated children in foster homes and paying caregivers to provide for the well being of the child or children. The creation of foster care system took place in the early 1960s. However, it was not until the 1970s that the United States government put emphasis on expanding their role in child welfare by