Why Foster Care?

The following is the preface from Founder Brian Mavis’ book, Go Upstream: Diving Into Foster Care To Heal 10 Social Wounds. It offers an evocative and compelling case for why America’s Kids Belong is dedicated to serving the children already in the foster care system, why prevention, as worthy of a goal. as it is, will never meet the needs for every abused and neglected child.

Giving Kids A Chance Before It’s Too Late

Addressing Two Common Critiques
Before diving into the ten social wounds caused by not having a family to help you heal, I want to address two critiques often aimed at
foster care

Critique 1: “Go Further Upstream”

Some may argue this book doesn’t go far enough upstream. Why focus on foster care when we could address the root causes that put kids into the foster care system? Why not stop the separation before it starts?
I get it. I agree. I wish no child had to be placed in foster care. If we can keep families together safely, we should. Always. No child should need foster care in the first place. Let’s prevent the preventable. But here’s the truth: not every family can be helped enough or soon enough.
Addiction grips tightly. Abuse spirals. Neglect becomes a cycle.
Sometimes intervention is the only way to keep a child safe. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s reality. There have been efforts to go further upstream. In 2018, policymakers passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) with the goal of preventing foster care placements by funding programs like mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, and in-home parenting support. It was a bold step, but its outcomes have fallen short. As child welfare expert Dee Wilson put it, “We have very little evidence about what works to prevent foster care placement.” 1

And as Marie Cohen, a former child welfare practitioner, observed, “For those closer to ground-level and
less invested in demonstrating the act’s success, there’s not much to celebrate.” This isn’t to dismiss prevention; it’s critical. But it’s also not enough. For some parents, the wake-up call of foster care can spark change. For their kids, it’s a lifeline, a safe harbor when all else has failed. Many kids cannot wait for prevention. They need protection today. Delayed or misguided decisions to leave children in unsafe environments often lead to tragic outcomes. Kids in crisis can’t afford to wait for a perfect system or a perfect solution. They need families willing to say, “Yes, I’ll help.” Families who step in today. The foster care system, while imperfect, exists to meet this urgent need.

Critique 2: “The System Causes Harm”

Others say the foster care system does more harm than good. I won’t deny its flaws. It’s far from perfect. Mishandled cases, inadequate support, unhealthy foster homes, failed reunifications. These things happen. And it’s devastating. But let’s not lose sight ofthe bigger picture. There’s an adage that says, “Don’t tear down a fence until you know why it is there.” Before foster care, abused and neglected children had no formal protection. None. The pivotal cas of Mary Ellen Wilson in 1874 illustrates this: a nine-year-old girl, severely abused and confined, was rescued by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because no child protection system existed. This event catalyzed the creation of the first child welfare organization.3
The foster care system isn’t the cause of harm; it’s a response to it.
A broken system, yes, but one that saves lives. Every day, it provides safety, stability, and hope for kids who need it most.

So Let’s Dive In And Dream

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t say, “I have a complaint.” He said, “I have a dream.” Too many people focus on what’s wrong with foster care. I get it. I have my complaints too. But complaints alone don’t create change.
Dreams do. I dream of a world where no child feels unloved. Where every child belongs to a family: a safe, loving, permanent family. To make that dream a reality, I envision a future where

• vulnerable families get the support they need to stay together;
• children entering foster care find more than enough families to welcome them
• siblings, schools, and friendships are kept intact;
• reunified families thrive with ongoing support;
• adoptive families are waiting and ready for every child who needs them;
• communities guide aged-out youth toward connected independence;
• foster and adoptive families receive the wraparound care they need;
• faith communities step up, trauma-informed and ready to help;
• businesses offer resources, discounts, and opportunities to foster-friendly families;
• government leaders champion children and convene stakeholders to improve child welfare.

This is the dream. So, as we dive in, let’s not lose sight of the immediate needs. Right now, kids need help. Right now, families need support. Yes, we need to make the system better. Yes, we need to push for change. But let’s not forget the good, the real, tangible good that happens every single day. This is not just about policies. Not just about systems.

This is about people.