The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

150 implementing policy framework and providing funding (Courtney, Flynn, Beaupré 164). Though there are several strict governmental policies that exist with the intention to protect and enhance the well being of maltreated children, the outcome of the lives of fostered children is wide-ranged. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 requires all professionalswho interactwith children to report guardian behavior or signs of guardian behavior that could be considered neglect or child abuse to child protection authorities (Courtney, Flynn, Beaupré 164). Such reports lead to investigation of the suspect situation. The investigation, done by a child protection agency of some sort, results in either no governmental action or the issuance of the maltreated child into the foster care system (Courtney, Flynn, Beaupré 164). According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned citizens filed 1,820,892 maltreated child reports in 2012, and 678,810 of them uncovered victims of abuse and/or neglect (19). This means that there are approximately nine victimized children for every one thousand total children in the United States. Every one of these abused and/or neglected children is in need of governmental assistance to improve their living situation. Foster care exists to achieve just that, to improve the living situation of maltreated children. The courts handle the permanent planning for children removed from a living situation that involved maltreatment. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-272) is the policy that set the precedent of the court handling the placement of soon to be foster children (Courtney, Flynn, Beaupré 165). If no responsible family member steps up to take custody, the court assigns the victimized child to one of two types of out- of-home options , the first of which is residential care (del Valle 162). Residential care consists of a group of fostered children living together beneath one roof. The homes in which they live in are staffed by paid staff and/or volunteers. Family care is the other variation of out-of-home care. In this style of foster care, a non- kin family assumes the responsibility of caring for the previously neglected youth (del Valle 162). The length of time a child stays in foster care is impossible to predict. The courts may only be place the child in foster care for a few hours or the remainder of their childhood. The state children’s welfare agency is required to work