The Problem With The Foster Care System - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2237 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/10/30 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Foster Care Essay Did you like this example? I believe every living person has the right to life and to live it without any restrictions, just as God entailed for all his children. I chose to center my project on the catholic social teaching of Rights and Responsibilities because I believe that all of our actions we make now will determine what evolution and growth we make in our society in the future. I wanted to connect my specific catholic social teaching to a social issue that I believe plagues America today, the foster care system. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Problem With The Foster Care System" essay for you Create order Foster care is one social issue that tends to be looked over in today’s society. Many automatically assume that all foster kids are provided with all of their needs by the government or by their own foster parents, when in reality it is quite the opposite. Thousands of children across the United States within the foster care system are neglected and abused everyday. It is our responsibility as people of God to help our brothers and sisters who struggle to find a home,family, and purpose. I decided that the organization that not only helps aids foster kids around the county but also spreads awareness of the issue itself was CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA not only helps those children find a safe and permanent home, but provides them with a specially trained volunteer whom are appointed by judges to help others understand what is in the best interest for a foster child. These volunteers act as a voice for the rejected children who live within a broken and merci less system. I plan to connect all three of these topics (tenet,social issue,organization) by researching thoroughly why and how it is our responsibility to help those who have become victims of the foster care system. My overall plan is to dive deep into my topic by looking through federal cases, websites, and other resources that will aid me in my search for answers. Going more into depth on Rights and Responsibilities and my decision on basing my essay around this specific tenet, I felt that it is important to understand and I wanted to explain it thoroughly. The Catholic tradition teaches us that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can only be achieved if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Rights are necessities or conditions in life that people need in order to be fully human. People need these rights in order to fulfill what God created us to be, happy. Responsibilities correspond with rights, mainly because it is the responsibility of people to fulfill Gods expectations, in that we, his children, can serve one another until we can live in together in perfect harmony. An example of how rights and responsibilities is referenced within the scriptures is within the verse of Isaiah 1:17, stating, â€Å"Learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea.† It i s heavily urged numerous times within the Bible to help those who cannot help themselves. Catholic Social Teaching teaches us that it not society that owes us these rights, but we as humans owe them to one another. In order to achieve true happiness, we need to take responsibility and create a society in which all are equal. This tenet is also shown with Sacred Tradition which can been seen within one specific quote from Pope Francis,â€Å"Society as a whole, and the state in particular, are obliged to defend and promote the common good.† Here Francis is saying that as humans, we are called to help those less fortunate than us and spread Gods love and will, as it is yet again one of our responsibilities in life. This tenet is seen our daily lives everyday. You dont have to volunteer at your local homeless shelter everyday in order to fulfill rights and responsibilities. It is in the small acts of kindness, like giving half of your lunch to a classmate who forgotten their own, that can make a big impact on someones day. This tenet I believe specifically applies to my social justice issue because from even participating in acts like the giving tree or donating your old clothes to a foster care clothing drive can make a foster kids day better. Things that we take advantage for in our daily lives (i.e. clothes, toys, blankets,TV, phones, books, etc) are what some of these kids go without for days and weeks when bouncing around from home to home. Humans should strive to live out the teaching of helping those who cannot help themselves, in this case foster kids. In order to achieve true happiness, we need to take responsibility and create a society in which all are equal. The issue at hand, that being the foster care system, has failed to meet the needs of hundreds of kids placed in the system every year. From from allowing those who have aged out of the system altogether without any aid to support themselves, to the struggling children who live with an abusive, profit privatized group home, the hidden harm of the system itself goes unseen by the majority of Americans everyday. According to Mashable, one in five foster kids â€Å"who age out of the system will become homeless†¦ one and four children will be involved in the justice system within two years of leaving foster care†. The gruesome reality of the after effects of being a former foster child is real, and everyday it is getting worse. The systemic issue on the table: the neglect to aid and better child welfare within the US. Ever since the foster care system has been put into place after seven year old Benjamin Eaton became America’s first foster child in 1636, the process for a child to find a permit home has become myth to some of foster kids. Due to the fact that there is not enough â€Å"non-relative placement resources available to meet the needs of the children requiring foster care†¦ this has led in some cases to moving children around from home to home†, says The CT Mirror. What once was a temporary solution for finding a child a permanent home has now become a hectic mess, resulting in thousand of kids bouncing around from home to home, leaving them no other option but to sit, wait, and hope for the best. Another harsh reality of being a foster child is being left in the hands privatized foster care homes. â€Å"Privatization takes place when a government outsources services or functions to private firms†¦ existing for one reason only: to make a profit,† says Adoption.com. The product in this case, the child. The more kids these companies place into their homes and the faster they get adopted, the more money they make. By federal and state law, children are supposed to be placed with extended family members but some privatized foster care agencies, who operate outside of the government system, put profit ahead of policy, which overall can cut kids off of family forever. My issue relates to rights and responsibilities because it is our job to help our brothers and sisters, not neglect of the right to live life happy. They should be treated with dignity and respect, instead being seen as something to profit off of. You cannot put a price on a living being. A human life is precious, so why is this still a problem? Why are foster parents abusing kids physically, emotionally, sexually? In short, because they can. These foster parents are not being stopped by anyone and instead are being paid to continue their abuse. Not only do I believe that this issue violates human rights, but the facts agree with me as well. No human being should be treated like dirt, because that is not what God wanted for us. He wanted us to always support and help each other, especially those who cannot help themselves. He wanted all his children to live and love together, instead of neglecting thousands of kids who do not know what the definition of â€Å"home† truly means . â€Å"The system† is a shining example of the abuse of human rights. It has failed thousands of kids longing for a loving family, a happy life, and a chance to have their voices heard, all which has be denied to the majority of those kids. No child should ever have to go through any form of abuse with their foster families. They did not ask to be put in this situation whatsoever, so why make it any worse for them? There has to be change, and in order to do so and better this broken system, it all starts with speaking up about the injustice that is being done. It starts with donating to child protective agencies to help properly recruit and train more qualified foster parents. CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, helps thousands of foster kids across the nation. The organization itself was created in 1976 after founder, and Seattle Superior Court Judge, David Soukup, could not stand another day of worrying about â€Å"the lifelong impact his decisions had on abused and neglected children†. In an interview with the LA Times Soukup stated that he was â€Å"consumed by the fact that I didn’t have enough information about each child I just didn’t know if I had done the very best job I could.† Soukup came up with the idea of volunteers being the voice for different foster kids within and outside of the courtroom. Almost forty years later, there are over 900 CASA programs within 49 states today. After calling this organization, I learned the certain procedures volunteers must undergo before being assigned a case. First volunteers must complete the application process which includes a criminal background check, over twenty hours of training, which covers topics like how to handle a case with a recurrence of family violence and the legal processes they will face when appearing in court for their child.    I choose this specific organization because of the differents ways they help better a foster childs life by investigating any problems within their childs home, advocating for them in court, and overall ensuring that their child is receiving the best care financially, medically, and etc. CASA volunteers â€Å"represent the best interests of children who are involved with the child welfare system† (Caliber Associates). According to ProKids, children who have a CASA volunteer are less likely to â€Å"spend time in long-term foster care, defined as more than 3 years in care†. This organization is remarkable due to the fact it directly helps thousands of foster kids around the nation. CASA itself is a social justice rather than a charity, because the organization works directly (meaning face to face) with the child and courts to help better the life of this child now and forever. CASA volunteers do not just give their child money and walk away, they are helping to mend a broken system and help those whom have become victims of foster care itself. The organization operates out of the system of subsidiarity, meaning that they give responsibilities over to the individuals and local communities in order to reach the common good. This principle has shows foundations similar to the way God exercises his power, like how Jesus did not make or force his followers follow him and his beliefs. Jesus gave them the freedom to do as they wish. In this case with CASA, these children are not being forced to tell their volunteers all of their needs, but it is their choice o f freedom to speak up of the injustice that is going on within their life. Subsidiarity relates to CASA because it shows how these kids are involved in the choices they make for themselves. Lastly, this organization aligns with the catholic social teachings and as well aligns with the teaching of the church. The whole purpose of CASA is helping a foster child who is in need of a better life. Volunteers are putting their lives on hold to better someone else’s. I believe that CASA is a great example of an organization that lives out the catholic social teachings and Gods plan. Overall, throughout all of my research, I have gained an extensive amount of knowledge for how the foster care system operates as well as how CASA operates. I have gained an enormous amount of respect for CASA volunteers and all of the hardwork and dedication they put into to help these kids. Throughout all three aspects of my paper, I successfully drew connections between rights and responsibilities to the foster care system to how CASA demonstrates qualities of the catholic social teachings. This issue is one I am passionate about because mainly because of the TV Show, The Fosters, which tells the story of a young foster girl who is placed into a foster home with a couple and their blend of adoptive and biological children. This show opened my eyes to the reality of what living within the foster system is like and the rough conditions some foster kids have to undergo. The result of finishing the TV show and this essay leaves me inspired more than ever to become a CASA volunteer lat er in my life and bring change to a foster kids life. I believe in doing so, I can start a chain reaction for making this social injustice more aware within society.

Car Accidents in Lebanon - 3057 Words

Abstract Summary: The problem of car accidents in Lebanon is becoming a severe issue since the percentage of car accidents is increasing year after year. There are several causes leading to this situation, however they differ in the importance of their implementation. Some of the causes are direct such as: use of seatbelt, texting while driving, speeding, and drinking and driving, while others are indirect such as road infrastructure, rules forced and implemented, and efficiency of driving tests. To reduce the percentage and bad effects of car accidents every citizen must start by changing his driving attitudes and try to implement rules and regulations, therefore to help humanitarian organization in reaching their goals in raising†¦show more content†¦Others don’t know what they mean. Driving tests are not appropriate and the section in the traffic law that requires test-takers to learn about and practice using road signs is not applied† (Mary Dhumieres, p.2, December 3,2011).Th e law of driving includes many rules that are well studied in order to protect the Lebanese citizen from all accidents that would occur with him while driving, and they don’t only protect the driver but everyone around him. One of the most important rules that is not applicable is the use of the seatbelt that should be applied by each driver and the passengers in the car in order to prevent injuries in case of car crashes. Most drivers think that the seatbelt is just important for newborns and children under 5 years; therefore, once their child is above 5 years old they place them in the front seat of the car and without a seatbelt, as a consequence once they hit the brakes of the car suddenly to prevent any accident the child will be injured. In addition, because of the Lebanese belief that seatbelt equals children, they never wear the seatbelt while driving and this is one of the many causes of the increase in death rates of car accidents besides high speed and alcohol. Th erefore Lebanese drivers must be aware about the benefits of wearing the seatbelt.†In 2006 alone, more than 15,000 lives were saved because they were wearing their seat belt, and the use of seatbelt reduces the risk of injury in minor accidents by as much as 50Show MoreRelatedRoad Traffic Accidents Among Young People, Children, Pedestrians, And Riders2444 Words   |  10 PagesUniversity London 2014/2015 Introduction Road traffic accidents is a global issue which needs urgent attention. About 1.24 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. If this issue is not addressed the number of deaths is expected to increase to around 1.9 million. In addition to that tens of millions are injured. 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Lanzones Festival Free Essays

Lanzones Festival is held every third week of October and it is a four day grand celebration of the lanzones fruit. The mostimportant livelihood in Camiguin is lanzones. It is when a lot of tourists come to witness the joyous Lanzones festival. We will write a custom essay sample on Lanzones Festival or any similar topic only for you Order Now Lanzones is one of the major fruit producers in the Philippines. Lanzones is a tropical fruit that grows extravagantly on the north-central coast of Mindanao. Lanzones has a pale brown skin and sweet translucent flesh. It is said that the sweetestlanzones in the Philippines comes from Camiguin. The town of Mambajao in Camiguin celebrated its annual festival calledLanzones Festival together with its harvest in the month of October. Lanzones Festival in MambadjaoCamiguin is celebrated with a weekend street dancing competition and parties, cultural shows, parade and beauty pageant (coronation of MutyasaBuahanan) and trade fair that features local handicraft and products. Houses, street poles and even people are ornamented with lanzones during the lanzones festival. According to the legend of an unknown beautiful maiden took the fruit’s past bitter flavor to replace it to delicious and sweet taste of thelanzones, thus townsfolk dance in the streets in order to honor and celebrate. It also celebrated by the people in Camiguin as a contribution in making Mindanao as a cultural tourism destination and give thanks for a bountiful harvest for all the agricultural products. The Lanzones fruit is a major source of the Camiguin Islands’ livelihood and it is for the annual harvest that they celebrate this thanksgiving day. Houses, carriages, street poles and even people are decorated with lanzones and lanzones leaves. townsfolk dance in joy abandon in commemoration of the legend that a beautiful, unknown maiden took from the its former bitter flavor to leave only its luscious, sweet taste. How to cite Lanzones Festival, Papers

Commonwealth Realm free essay sample

The 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; /ˈtÊÆ'É’É ¡(É™)m/) was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 15 to 17 November 2013.[2] Commonwealth leaders agreed on Sri Lanka as the 2013 host for the meeting when they met in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in 2009. Sri Lanka, which was originally slated to host the summit in 2011, was accused of committing atrocities during the Sri Lankan civil war and the summit was instead held in Perth, Australia; Colombo was given the 2013 summit instead.[3][4] The leaders of Canada, India, and Mauritius boycotted the summit, citing alleged human rights violations by Sri Lanka against its Tamil minority. Protests were also banned during the summit.[5] President Mahinda Rajapaksa summarised the summits events as: Issues covered in the communique include development, political values, global threats, challenges and Commonwealth cooperation.[6] This was the first time in 40 years that the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabe th II, was not present at the CHOGM. We will write a custom essay sample on Commonwealth Realm or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Member countries Fifty-three countries are members of The Commonwealth. Our countries span Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific and are diverse – they are amongst the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries. Thirty-two of our members are classified as small states – countries with a population size of 1.5million people or less and larger member states that share similar characteristics with them. All members subscribe to The Commonwealth’s values and principles outlined in The Commonwealth Charter. Leaders of member countries shape Commonwealth policies and priorities. Every two years, they meet to discuss issues affecting the Commonwealth and the wider world at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). All members have an equal say – regardless of size or economic stature. This ensures even the smallest member countries have a voice in shaping The Commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Nations, or simply the Commonwealth, defines itself as an association of sovereign nations that support each other and work together towards international goals. Being the successor of the British Commonwealth of Nations, it is a loose association of former British colonies. At present, the Commonwealth has 54 member countries with a combined population of nearly 2 billion — nearly one third of the worlds population. The colonial past is the natural binding factor for these acountries. Most have certain common elements in their culture — common sports like cricket and rugby, driving on the left, British type parliamentary and legal systems and use of British spellings. As the British Empire began its process of decolonization and the creation of independent states from former British colonies, there arose a need for an organization of countries formerly part of the Empire. In 1884, Lord Rosebery, a British politician, described the changing British Empire as a Commonwealth of Nations. Thus, in 1931, the British Commonwealth of Nations was founded under the Statute of Westminster with five initial members the United Kingdom, Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa. (Ireland permanently left the Commonwealth in 1949, Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, and South Africa left in 1961 due to apartheid but rejoined in 1994 as the Republic of South Africa). In 1946, the word British was dropped and the organization became known as simply the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia and New Zealand adopted the Statute in 1942 and 1947, respectively. With Indias independence in 1947, the new country desired to become a Republic and to not utilize the monarchy as their head of state. The London Declaration of 1949 modified the requirement that members must view the monarchy as their head of state to require that countries recognize the monarchy as simply the leader of the Commonwealth. With this adjustment, additional countries joined the Commonwealth as they gained independence from the United Kingdom so today there are fifty-four member countries. Of the fifty-four, thirty-three are republics (such as India), five have their own monarchies (such as Brunei Darussalam), and sixteen are a constitutional monarchy with the sovereign of the United Kingdom as their head of state (such as Canada and Australia). Although membership requires having been a former dependency of the United Kingdom or a dependency of a dependency, former Portuguese colony Mozambique became a member 1995 under special circumstances due to Mozambiques willingness to support the Commonwealths fight against apartheid in South Africa. The Secretary General is elected by the Heads of Government of the membership and can serve two four-year terms. The position of Secretary General was established in 1965. The Commonwealth Secretariat has its headquarters in London and is composed of 320 staff members from the member  countries. The Commonwealth maintains its own flag. The purpose of the voluntary Commonwealth is for international cooperation and to advance economics, social development, and human rights in member countries. Decisions of the various Commonwealth councils are non-binding. The Commonwealth of Nations supports the Commonwealth Games, which is a sporting event held every four years for member countries. A Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March. Each year carries a different theme but each country can celebrate the day as they choose. The population of the 54 member states exceeds two billion, about 30% of the world population (India is responsible for a majority of the Commonwealths population). Summary The Commonwealth of Nations, often called just the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent nations, all but one of which are former British colonies or related dependencies, aiming to promote peace, democracy and development. There are substantial economic ties and a shared history. List of Member Nations Origins of the Commonwealth Towards the end of the nineteenth century changes began occurring in the old British Empire, as the colonies grew in independence. In 1867 Canada became a ‘dominion’, a self-governing nation considered equal with Britain rather than simply ruled by her. The phrase ‘Commonwealth of Nations’ was used to describe the new relationships between Britain and colonies by Lord Rosebury during a speech in Australia in 1884. More dominions followed: Australia in 1900, New Zealand in 1907, South Africa in 1910 and the Irish Free State in 1921. In the aftermath of the First World War, the dominions sought a new definition of the relationship between themselves and Britain. At first the old ‘Conferences of Dominions’ and ‘Imperial Conferences’, begun in 1887 for discussion between the leaders of Britain and the dominions, were resurrected. Then, at the 1926 Conference, the Balfour Report was discussed, accepted and the following agreed of dominions: They are autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external  affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. This declaration was made law by the 1931 Statute of Westminster and the British Commonwealth of Nations was created. Development of the Commonwealth of Nations