“Care” or “foster care” is often depicted as a system that protects children from parents who hurt them. The truth, however, is that the state often removes children from loving families simply because they are poor. Ironically, a system meant to protect children ends up causing them immeasurable harm.
Dr. Gill Main studies child poverty in the UK and recently helped ATD-UK interview children and young people who have been in care. Separating children from siblings and parents can cause life long psychological damage, they found.