Using Storytelling to Achieve a Better Sequel to Foster Care than Delinquency
Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
New York University Review of Law & Social Change
Abstract
Description
Asserting that California s child welfare system is failing its mandate to serve its most vulnerable children is not overly dramatic. A significant portion of the 60,000 foster children that California cares for are dually involved with the dependency and delinquency systems. Children who have suffered abuse or neglect severe enough to be removed from their homes are more likely than well-treated children to come into contact with the delinquency system and possibly lose their dependency status in favor of delinquency status. For the young person for whom the state has taken on the parenting role under the dependency system, the blow of delinquency status is significant because of the resulting loss of the parent and the concordant services and rights that the parent has afforded. This article advocates that we use applied legal storytelling principles to focus more attention on the foster child s character, voice, and viewpoint to allow formal, earlier intervention at the phase where the child is at risk of delinquent behavior so that delinquency has a better chance at being avoided. By invoking applied legal storytelling concepts to focus child welfare advocates on children s unique narratives, this article suggests that those professionals consider a new framework to help solve the present foster care to delinquency cycle to better serve foster young people and their communities.
item.page.type
Text
item.page.format
pdf
Keywords
California, Child abuse, Foster Care, Foster children, juvenile