Annotated Bibliography

Breyerlein, Brittany, and Ellin Bloch. “Need for Trauma-Informed Care Within the Foster Care System: A

Policy Issue.” Need for Trauma-Informed Care Within the Foster Care System: A Policy Issue, vol. 93, no. 3,

2014, pp. 7–21. EBSCO, eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&sid=a6b996aa-1872-4b2f-

9c5d-da642d88b876%40redis.

This source focuses on the lack of attention, support, and care for children in

foster care who have dealt with trauma throughout their life. Stating statistical

information like a study done on adverse childhood experiences that shows

maltreatment and traumatic stressors in childhood lead to a decrease in physical

and emotional well-being as adults, as well as an increase in mental illness and

use of psychiatric medications. The currency of this article could be debated

although the information in it is still relevant considering everything was

presented within an 8 year time span.

Pickover, Sheri, PhD, et al. Therapeutic Interventions for Families and Children

in the Child Welfare System. Springer Publishing, 2016.

This source, as stated in the description of the book, is a “one-of-a-kind resource

for mental health professionals in multiple settings”. The book contains a

comprehensive guide specific towards children and families involved in the child

welfare system. The book also provides proven and effective treatment

interventions specifically for mental health and behavioral issues towards the

specific population. Also containing strategies directed towards sexual abuse,

physical abuse, substance abuse, neglect, trauma, and attachment.

Mitchell, Monique B. “‘No One Acknowledged My Loss and Hurt’: Non-Death

Loss, Grief, and Trauma in Foster Care.” Child and Adolescent Social Work

Journal, vol. 35, no. 1, 2017, pp. 1–9. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-

017-0502-8.

This article applies research findings to address how youth experience loss, grief,

and truama in the foster care system. The article also presents reports straight

from youth within the system that illustrate experiences of non-death loss and its

impact. Also showing how disenfranchised acknowledgement is towards those

youth. This article gives valued information as well as first-hand experience to

help improve the policies and practices of the system towards these subjects.

Tarren-Sweeney, Michael. “The Mental Health of Adolescents Residing in Court-

Ordered Foster Care: Findings from a Population Survey.” Child Psychiatry &

Human Development, vol. 49, no. 3, 2017, pp. 443–51. Crossref,

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0763-7

This source is an international example of mental health of adolescents in foster

care. The source is based off a survey of 230 adolescents living in foster care in

New South Wales, Australia. The source then goes in depth about older age

children in foster care and the mental health instablility that follows with that.

Along with the lack of care for adolescents dealing with severe mental illness and

truamatic experiences.
Kenny, Peter. “Delay, Despair, and Detachment: The Mental Health of Foster Children | Indiana

Adoption Lawyer.” Lawyer Peter A. Kenny, www.hoosierfamilylawyer.com/foster-children-

adoption-book/delay-despair-and-detachment-mental-health-foster-children. Accessed 21 Mar.

2022.

This website goes in depth about the difficulties of attachment with children in foster

care. Showing that children within the system have a difficult time bonding with a new

family due to a bond that was previously broken. The source then provides information

and beneficial help in regards to detachment along with other mental illnesses. The

source is intended for foster parents or anyone looking to adopt in order to inform and

benefit the families involved.

Concordia University St. Paul. “Trauma and Children in Foster Care: A

Comprehensive Overview.” Concordia St. Paul, 12 Mar. 2021,

www.csp.edu/publication/trauma-children-in-foster-care-a-comprehensive-

overview.

This source talks about child abuse and other trauma related instances that

normally go unnoticed within the foster care system. Stating that children who go

through these instances struggle with severe mental instability and suicide

outside of the system. This then causes future families to then misinterpret a

child’s personality, thus decreasing the chances of that child getting adopted.

This source is used to inform those about the seriousness about what happens

behind the scenes of the foster care system.

Lehmann, Stine, et al. “Sleep among Youths in Foster Care: Associations with

Potentially Traumatic Events, PTSD and Mental Health.” Child & Family Social

Work, vol. 26, no. 1, 2020, pp. 111–21. Crossref,

https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12794.

This source goes in depth about how little is known about sleep among youth

who experience PTSD and other mental illnesses within the foster care system.

Studies showing that children dealing with these issues have a much more

difficult time initializing and maintaining sleep. Along with showing sleep patterns

being disturbed and related functional impairment. Also explaining the need of

treatment for children dealing with these mental illnesses and how that could

benefit their sleep patterns.

Kantor, Viktoria, et al. “Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Mental Health

Services after Child Maltreatment in Foster Care: An Austrian Survivors’

Perspective.” European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, vol. 6, no. 1, 2022, p.

100228. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100228.

This article is another international example of the struggles of accessing mental

health services after getting out of the foster care system. Showing that after

leaving the foster care system children find it difficult to engage in beneficial

mental health conversation with proffesionals due to the lack of help in their

childhood. Also the source is aimed to explore survivor’s suggestions on how to

better the mental health services in use.

Dubois-Comtois, Karine, et al. “Are Children and Adolescents in Foster Care at

Greater Risk of Mental Health Problems than Their Counterparts? A Meta-

Analysis.” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 127, 2021, p. 106100.

Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106100.

This source illustrates how foster youth are more at risk for mental health issues

compared to their counterparts. Along with how youth are more vulnerable to

mental health issues even after being placed within the system. Also highlighting

the exposure of maltreatment within the foster system and the outcomes of aging

out of the system. Proving that foster youth compared to “normal” youth are

seemingly more disregarded and neglected in general. Seemingly destined for

failure.