Foster Care and Early Child Development: Implications for Child Welfare Policy and Practice

Foster children— by virtue of the fact that they are in foster care—must contend with challenges to healthy development that extend beyond the typical challenges presented to infants and children. Foster children have been faced with any of a number of risk factors including poverty, violence, abuse (emotional, physical, sexual) and neglect. Given that they are at greater risk compared to other children whose experiences have not resulted in them being placed in out-ofhome care, it is important to identify the specific ways, if any, in which these children may have developmental experiences that are distinct from children who have not been maltreated. Such an understanding helps to identify specific developmental tasks or milestones that should be assessed and/or monitored on a regular basis for children in foster care.