Massinga Ruth, Pecora Peter J
Casey Family Programs, School of Social Work, University of Washington, USA.
Future Child. 2004 Winter;14(1):150-73.
A growing number of children over age 10 reside in and emancipate from foster care every year. Older children face many of the same challenges as younger children, but they also have unique developmental needs. This article discusses older children in the child welfare system and finds: Approximately 47% of children in foster care are over age 11, and in 2001, 20% of children leaving foster care were over age 16. Older children need permanency, stability, and a "forever family." Maintaining connections with siblings and other kin can be a crucial resource for older children as they transition to independence. Former foster children are at higher risk for a number of negative outcomes, such as substance abuse, homelessness, and low educational attainment, but the research on older youth is limited and often does not consider the strengths these youth exhibit. Much can be done to better serve older children while they are in care and to provide them with better opportunities as they transition out of the system. Programs that draw on community resources, promote a system of care, link children to mentors, and teach them life skills hold promise for improving the lives of these children.
每年有越来越多10岁以上的儿童生活在寄养家庭并脱离寄养状态。大龄儿童面临着许多与年幼儿童相同的挑战，但他们也有独特的发展需求。本文探讨了儿童福利系统中的大龄儿童，发现：寄养儿童中约47%的年龄超过11岁，在2001年，脱离寄养状态的儿童中有20%的年龄超过16岁。大龄儿童需要永久性、稳定性和一个“永远的家”。在大龄儿童向独立过渡时，与兄弟姐妹及其他亲属保持联系可能是一项至关重要的资源。曾在寄养家庭生活过的儿童出现一系列负面后果的风险更高，如药物滥用、无家可归和低教育程度，但针对大龄青少年的研究有限，且往往没有考虑到这些青少年所展现出的优势。在大龄儿童接受照料期间，可以采取很多措施来更好地为他们服务，并在他们脱离该系统时为他们提供更好的机会。利用社区资源、推广照料体系、将儿童与导师联系起来并教给他们生活技能的项目有望改善这些儿童的生活。
