Are Foster Parents Abusive? Abuse in Foster Care

Despite the fact that they are responsible for two-thirds of all foster child adoptions and are entrusted with the care of many of our country’s most vulnerable and needy children, little is known about foster parents. Are foster parents abusive?

Not all foster parents are abusive, yet it happens enough that it triggers a need for concern. Child welfare reports sometimes contain little information. While official statistics are few, anecdotal evidence suggests that children in foster care are subjected to a wide range of abuses.

Let’s not overlook the fact that the majority of foster parents are wonderful and work hard to make a better life for foster children.

In this article, however, we will focus on the smaller percentage of foster homes that, for whatever reason, subject foster children to abuse.

A mother sitting on a couch with two small children.

Are Foster Parents Abusive?

Foster care abuse is heartbreaking and upsetting. Frequently, a child is placed in foster care after being taken from an unsafe, negligent, or potentially abusive setting.

The youngster is now defenseless confined in yet another unsafe setting, rather than finding security and safety in their new home.

The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System require all states to submit data (AFCARS). AFCARS, on the other hand, only gathers the age, race, and marital status of foster parents.

State child welfare reports sometimes contain relatively little information, with fluctuations in the number of foster families over time being the most common example.

The membership roles of foster parent groups often comprise only a tiny fraction of licensed foster parents, and associations lack the means to collect extensive information.

While official statistics are few, anecdotal evidence suggests that children in foster care are subjected to a wide range of abuses.

There have been reports of children in foster care being raped, abused, hungry, and terribly mistreated.

While the majority of deaths in foster families were caused by pre-existing illnesses or disabilities, killings were often a factor. Some youngsters committed suicide, while others died as a result of medical issues.

Some of the abuse that foster children face stems from the placing of vulnerable, generally younger, children in households with physically or sexually violent teenagers.

Some basic inferences may be taken from the minimal information available regarding foster parents. Women make up the majority of foster parents.

They are, on average, significantly older than American parents. Most do not have a college education and earn substantially less than the average American household.

There are near as many single foster parents as there are married foster parents, with many of them being divorced or separated.

African-Americans make up a narrow majority (42%) of foster parents, while white/non-Hispanic parents make up 36%.

Many foster parents, on the other hand, do not fit into any of the aforementioned categories. In terms of money, education, age, sex, and motivation, they are diverse.

Foster parent qualities may differ from one state to the next, according to some studies.

While some foster parents are abusive, the majority create an atmosphere in which children feel loved and where they may develop normally.


Foster parents receive 8 types of assistance from the state and federal governments to help with the care of foster children.

Untrue Foster Care Abuse Allegations

Many more foster parents are believed to have maltreated their foster children even though they have not done so.

Foster parents may be at a higher risk of being reported to CPS without reason than others.

Children who have been subjected to abuse and neglect, as well as the uncertainties and concerns of years in foster care, frequently including several movements, may be wounded in ways that affect their behavior.

These children may use an allegation to get out of a placement, as a form of retaliation, as a way of separating themselves from caregivers because they are afraid of intimacy or unable to trust, or because they believe that an investigation of foster parents will allow them to reunite with their biological parents.

Misconceptions about foster parents and their position may also contribute to reports of abuse.

Many individuals outside of the child welfare system are perplexed as to why someone would choose to be a foster parent, particularly for children who have challenging behaviors or impairments.

Some community members may submit false allegations to DSS because they are well-intentioned yet ignorant and distrustful of foster parents’ motivations.

Another probable source of abuse charges is birth parents. They may report their child’s foster parents out of spite, jealousy, or to explain their own bad behavior.


Why do so many foster parents quit? Learn the truth here.

Why Do Foster Parents Abuse?

There could be a range of reasons why some foster parents become abusive.

For example, the high-stress levels associated with fostering may be too much for certain individuals or families, particularly if foster parents are overwhelmed with several children with major problems.

These circumstances might be exacerbated by a lack of DSS training and assistance. Children who aim to create an aggressive reaction from their foster parents may succeed in making a foster parent lose control in other cases.

Another concern is DSS’s lack of information about a child at the time of placement, which might lead foster parents to take responsibility for a child when they would have realized they couldn’t handle the child if they had known all the circumstances.

How to Report Foster Care Abuse

Learning to detect the indicators of child abuse and neglect is the first step in assisting abused or neglected children.

A single indicator does not always mean that a family is experiencing child abuse; nevertheless, if these signs arise frequently or in combination, you should take a deeper look at the situation and examine the likelihood of child abuse.

The following may indicate that a child has been abused or neglected.

The Child

  • Sudden changes in behavior or academic performance.
  • Has not gotten assistance for physical or medical issues that have been brought to the notice of the parents.
  • Has learning or concentration issues that can’t be traced back to a specific medical or psychological cause.
  • Is continually on the lookout, as though expecting something horrible to happen.
  • There is no adult supervision.
  • Is excessively submissive, passive, or withdrawn.
  • Arrives early to school or other events stays late, and refuses to go.

The Parent

  • Is unconcerned about the child.
  • Denies the reality of a kid’s issues at school or home, or blames the child for them.
  • If the child misbehaves, the child’s teachers or other caregivers are asked to apply harsh physical discipline.
  • Considers the child to be completely awful, useless, or a burden.
  • Demands a degree of physical or academic achievement that the youngster is incapable of achieving.
  • Looks to the child for emotional needs such as care, attention, and fulfillment.

The Parent and Child

  • They don’t often touch or gaze at one another.
  • Consider their relationship to be completely negative.
  • Declare that they don’t get along.

Who is Required to Report Child Abuse or Neglect?

Anyone who has reason to suspect a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect should report it.

The following persons are legally obligated to report child abuse or neglect:

  • Adults living with the child who suspects severe abuse
  • A state volunteer or employee, including the caseworker, etc.
  • Medical practitioners and medical examiners
  • Social service counselors/therapists
  • School personnel
  • Child care providers
  • Law enforcement officers
  • Juvenile probation officers
  • Corrections employees

Anyone who suspects child abuse has a moral obligation to report it immediately.


How much does it cost to adopt from the foster care system? Is it free to foster parents? Things to consider.

How to Prevent Abuse in Foster Care

Foster care and adoption programs help children who are in particularly vulnerable situations.

Children in foster and adoptive programs are more likely to be sexually abused, and many have already suffered the tragic consequences of abuse or neglect.

Adoption is still an important part of the foster care system because it gives good care and loving homes to children who have been mistreated, abandoned, or neglected by their parents.

Many members of the ‘adoption family’ are unaware of how and when children are vulnerable to sexual abuse during and after the adoption process.

Many adoptive children have been victimized before and are hence at a greater risk of being victimized again.

While protective barriers for adoptive parents may be substantial, this is not always the case for all other adults or teenagers who may engage with these children.

The pressing need for foster parents should not allow program managers to overlook the very real danger that these children face, sparing them from one danger while exposing them to another.

Employees, volunteers, and respite carers must be informed of the dangers that sexual abuse and sexual abusers bring to the children they are responsible for.

There are currently measures that are taken to screen prospective foster parents, such as the following:

  • Background checks
  • Fingerprints
  • Training
  • References
  • Interviews

It’s hard to say if some of these procedures are slipping through the cracks, or if foster parents with no previous criminal record eventually snap due to the burden of working with troubled teens.

Training about child abuse in foster care is meant to bring awareness of such abuses and what situations to avoid within the foster home.

Older foster children with a history of aggression, and physical or sexual assault may take advantage of a younger foster sibling.

Foster parents need to learn how to take preventative measures to lessen the likelihood of this happening by eliminating all possible opportunities within the home.


A new foster child is likely to feel a bit out of place to say the least. Learn ways to help a foster child feel comfortable.

Are Foster Homes Safe?

A child’s safety is not always assured once they are placed in foster care.

Foster children are frequently trained not to speak out and are socialized to believe that abuse is normal.

Children frequently believe that reporting abuse and risking being transferred, where they may be subjected to further abuse, is not in their best interests.

While it appears that more research on foster parent abuse is needed to obtain more precise figures, the basic truth is that abuse occurs much too frequently.

The number of children that agency personnel have to supervise, not to mention the strain of completing mounds of paperwork, causes them to become overwhelmed.

Because it was necessary to keep the agency financed and our jobs, paperwork would frequently take precedence over real visits.

There appeared to be incentives in place to keep children in their allocated foster homes, which led to some leniency when assessing circumstances.

Foster care organizations are compensated for each placement. The agency may lose the commission if a kid is removed from placement.

Even though most foster organizations and social workers have the best interests of the child at heart, these variables may lead to a less-than-effective system of adequately monitoring foster families.

Many caseworkers are inexperienced and recent graduates of psychology school who are putting in the hours required to obtain their state license.

They may not always know how to recognize abuse or deal with the considerable emotional instability that comes with such a profession due to their lack of expertise.

Other caseworkers are older and more experienced and have spent years seeing the system’s failings and developing defeatist views that have hindered their ability to do their duties. Jaded caseworkers, according to ex-foster children I’ve spoken with, always seemed to turn a blind eye, never asking probing questions or visiting their charges’ sleeping spaces.

Consequences of Foster Care Abuse and Neglect

Children who are placed in foster care often have had a tough upbringing. They may have been subjected to abuse or neglect at home by their parents.

As a result of the abuse they got at home, many children suffer from behavioral disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental or physical concerns.

They require caretakers who can meet their unique requirements, as well as supportive services like therapy, to heal from their traumatic beginnings.

Regrettably, this is not always the case with foster children.

Instead, children are frequently placed in situations where their home lives are as awful as or worse than those they experienced with their biological parents.

They may move in and out of homes, and the caseworkers who are supposed to safeguard them frequently fail to do so, failing to provide even the most basic level of protection and security to these vulnerable youngsters.

Foster Parents Will Lose Their License

Once a caseworker with Child Protective Services has verified any allegations, your child may not only be removed from your home but may also be placed on a criminal list in many states.

Being on the list has serious ramifications. Foster parents’ licenses will be revoked. They are incapable of working with youngsters.

Those working within the foster care system or any other professional that has come into contact with the child and suspected abuse or been told about the allegations yet do not report that information will suffer severe consequences.

Once an investigation determines that a professional did not report suspected allegations, they may lose their license, as well as suffer the stigma in their community knowing they could have helped a child and chose not to.

Common and preventable mistakes made by governmental institutions include:

  • Failure to adequately screen foster parents or conduct background checks
  • Failure to properly investigate complaints against foster parents
  • Failure to monitor the welfare of foster children
  • Failure to privately communicate with foster children outside the presence of their foster parents
  • Failure to license or ensure compliance with foster home regulations

Survivors of abuse can file claims against their abuser as well as the institution that failed to protect them while they were in foster care.