Foster a child, give them hope

IN A bid to give children from broken homes or who are in unfortunate situations a chance to lead a better life filled with "kinship and compassion", the Community Development Department (JAPEM) has unveiled a temporary foster care scheme specifically for those 18 years old and below.

This new scheme, said JAPEM Director Hjh Misnah Hj Bolhasan, is an alternative to placing them in institutions such as welfare homes, which cannot offer as much individual attention required by these children. Although the scheme is supposed to be a temporary arrangement, there are studies that show being in a stable family home can do wonders, not just for the foster child's wellbeing but also for his mental development.

Children raised in biological homes score 10 to 20 points higher on average in IQ tests than children raised in orphanages, a study found. However, fostered children have a good chance at catching up on this score, especially if they are removed from welfare institutions as toddlers, the Harvard Medical School discovered.

Associate Professor Anna T Smyke from Tulane University School of Medicine said that foster care "is often thought of as 'just a place to stay', but it actually can be a powerful intervention to help young children recover from a variety of difficult early experiences".

While institutionalised care is one way of providing a safe haven for children from disruptive families, the Science Daily said Canadian researchers got it right that "governments do not make good parents". The study goes one step further by suggesting that finding a permanent home, through adoption, is the best solution for these children, and proposed Canada change its system to allow for an easier adoptive process. Being in a stable home is best, said researchers - Laura Eggertson, Dr Noni MacDonald, Cindy Baldassi and Dr Paul Hébert - in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2009.