May is National Foster Care Month, celebrated since 1988 in honor of people who care for orphaned and displaced children – from foster parents and their family members to child social workers to volunteers to mentors. In 2016, the theme of NFCM is family reunification – “Honoring, Uniting, and Celebrating Families.” Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, it highlights the needs of many children who, for whatever reason, do not have the security of a normal, loving family.
A child might be in the foster system for many reasons – orphaned, abandoned, or their parents incapacitated in some way. Frequently, though, children entering the foster care system are victims of abuse or neglect, necessitating their separation from their birth families. But as the case of Steve Pemberton, author of this year’s One Book, A Chance in the World reminds us, some children within the foster system still suffer abuse and mistreatment. These children are often more vulnerable because they are conditioned not to speak out – they have already lost or been abandoned by one family, and might see substantial risk in complaining.
Obviously, the safety and welfare of children is an important topic to society, and many experts struggle with the problem of how to care for hundreds of thousands of children. Perhaps you’re studying to contribute to the solution, as a teacher or social worker. Regardless of your focus, the library has plenty to offer. We have lots of research tools – from scholarly articles to policy and advocacy databases, there’s a lot to read and study. And we have thousands of books to choose from, including titles like Advocating for Children in Foster and Kinship Care by Mitchell Rosenwald, They’re All My Children: Foster Mothering in America by Danielle Wozniak, Understanding Looked After Children by Jeune Guishard-Pine, Foster Parenthood: A Role Analysis by David Fanshel, Foster Carers by Kate Wilson, and A Practical Guide to Fostering Law by Lynn Davis.
So get involved with National Foster Care Month, read A Chance in the World, and join the campus-wide conversation. Tickets to meet the author and hear him speak on October 25th can be reserved here.
Need any help? Ask us at iueref@iue.edu!