MovieChat Forums > The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2005) Discussion > Foster homes

Foster homes

posted 10 years ago by sherineyousery
3 replies | jump to latest

I am not American, or European, so basically I didn't know what a foster home is until I started watching American TV series and movies.

I am a great fan of many aspects of the American and European civilizations, but the whole idea of foster homes is pretty disgusting to me. How come a family gets money for raising a child? Children need much more than that. Children need love and support, not just a place to live in and legal guardians. Raising children is simply not a job to get paid for.

If someone argues that some families are poor and have vacancies in their lives for the presence of children, I'd say give these families jobs, give them a life, but not a child's life to screw.

Am I missing something here?

Grateful for any insights.

[–] Tri-State_Skater 9 years ago

The money is provided to help subsidize the cost of the child. The foster family receives the cash because they opened up their home to kids in need. Some foster parents abuse the system, but the truth is if you really use the money for the child it doesn't always cover everything. In places with a higher cost of living, NYC is one example, the foster parents have to chip in money as well.

Foster homes have to exist because some parents really don't deserve children. They do drugs, drink too much, beat their children, neglect them or say awful things, and in some of the worst cases, molest their children.

In a perfect world every parent would love their children, and treat them correctly. Sadly, that is not our reality. This is why foster homes are important.

[–] mr-murph 9 years ago

The money we got went directly to the kids' expenses, and kids aren't cheap. We actually lost money doing foster care, but it was more than worth it.

[–] Jeorj Euler 8 years ago

It's basically an alternative to large orphanages, whereby individual children can at receive a greater share of the attention they might need, rather than being mere assembly line items.