Grade 7-12-A thorough, well-documented look at the foster care system in the U.S., written in an accessible, conversational style. The introduction provides reasons for the system's existence and an overview of the differing philosophies and recent trends in social welfare policy. Davies goes on to trace the history of foster care, why children enter it, life in an average home, the motivations and responsibilities of foster parents, and the function and training of caseworkers. An overview of the landmark 1980 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act is provided. Finally, attention is given to children leaving foster care, controversies surrounding it, and alternatives to it. Relevant black-and-white photos are grouped in the center of the book. The author has done an admirable job of focusing on specifics while providing a balanced view of the subject. Her book goes into greater depth than Jeanne Barmat's Foster Families (Crestwood, 1991), has some of the same information but a different scope than Kathlyn Gay's Adoption and Foster Care (Enslow, 1990), and is a good factual companion to the more personal perspective found in Geraldine Blomquist's Coping as a Foster Child (Rosen, 1992).
Celia A. Huffman, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6-12. Davies writes an unbiased treatment of foster care. Beginning with a thorough definition, she moves to the history of foster care, the reasons why children enter it, and the range of feelings of children placed in foster homes. She talks about foster parents and caseworkers and their motives for doing their work. Other chapters deal with foster-care laws and controversies and alternatives to foster care. All sides of the subject are explored; no judgments are implied. Very few individual testimonies are used; rather, the presentation of information relies on reports of studies and general research. Black-and-white photos add an empathetic note. As the book contains footnotes and resources, it would be a good starting point for senior-high research. Susan DeRonne
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