Addressing Multi-Generational Dysfunction In Foster Care

Several years ago I read a story about a young man in Florida who killed his younger sibling. The young man in this story was described as a troubled child, who came from a harsh background. Specifically this young man had spent time in the foster care system, and was born to a teenage mother who had also spent time in foster care. I vividly remember the comments which accompanied the article, one in particular questioned: "The child was in foster care and the mother was too, how common is that"? The unfortunate answer to that question is very common. Numerous studies have shown that many parents involved in the foster care or child welfare system, had histories of placement as children. Studies have also shown that children involved in the child welfare system have a greater chance of having their own children placed in foster care. In many cases, the history of foster care placement seen in families extends to two or three generations.

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