Children in foster care are usually faced with the vulnerability of oppression, exploitation, and marginalization due to lack of adequate policies to deal with sexual abuse, psychological and physical abuse inflicted on them (Weiler, Garrido " Taussig, 2016). Other reasons include lack of adequate financial provisions to cater for their needs which cause them to lag behind and impacts on their development.
In contrary, most of the children living under the care of their parent have the advantage of receiving parental care and protection. Mostly, their needs are well provided for making them be at low risk of experiencing maltreatment.
Policy reforms enacted to mitigate these structural discriminations include government interventions to streamline the operations of the foster care systems (Weiler at al., 2016). These interventions include enactment of laws and provisions of financial aids to the foster care homes.
The 2007 – 2009 economic recessions had negative economic impact which caused unemployment and increased cost of living (Martin " Vaillancourt, 2015). These factors impacted negatively on the economic welfare of households. Some households lost their house on account of failing to pay their mortgages.
An intact couple has a better chance to deal with the issue of homelessness than a single mother. This is so because the couple has a greater chance of pooling more resource than a single mother and therefore can easily buy a house. The issue of homelessness can be addressed through government intervention to facilitate an easy acquisition of houses to the vulnerable.
I agree with the Director Shelter that poverty is one of the major causes of homelessness and that it is the government responsibility to address it. The government can reduce poverty through the provision of subsidies and financial transfers to the vulnerable as a way of strengthening their economic status.
References
Martin, P., " Vaillancourt, F. (2015). Canada, the United States, and the Great Recession of 2007-2009: One continent, two sets of economic policies. REVUE LISA-LISA E-JOURNAL, 13(2).
Wellbeing of Children in the Foster Care System. In Health Promotion for Children and Adolescents (pp. 371-388). Springer, Boston, MA.
