The Ideological Root of Stigma In Foster Children
Faculty Mentor
Thomas Hawley
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
May 2025
End Date
May 2025
Location
PUB 321
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Education
Abstract
Children in foster care are often subjected to harmful stereotypes that set up systems that are detrimental to their development. The discrimination that foster children experience is rooted in the connection between the biological connection between foster children and their guardians; the concept of found families is often frowned upon due to the unconscious bias people have. Societal biases for genetically biological children set up a system that hinders potential and confines children to harmful stereotypes. This type of stigma allows for negative perspectives and expectations for those in care, both for children and the environment they reside in. This stigma against foster children does not just manifest out of nowhere. This stigma is deeply ingrained, and it is rooted in centuries of ideas regarding the validity and legitimacy of the nature of familial relationships.
Family is a key part regarding the development of a healthy community, however, different perspectives on the biological connection between children and their guardians are often used as ways to minimize the legitimacy of a family. In this analysis, I will organize a potential timeline of where this stigma arises and how it affects society’s approach to family. From Aristotle to Marx, their ideas of family have formed the unaddressed stigma we see among foster children today. This research explores the historical origins and societal effects of stigma around foster children, delving into the evolution of society’s perception of what a family looks like. This aims to examine the thoughts of philosophers and influential thinkers on the concept of family. This paper strives to organize an appropriate timeline for where this stigma could have started, how it has evolved, and how to deconstruct these beliefs to provide better opportunities for all children, whether they are in foster care or not.
Recommended Citation
Sarmiento, Maria, "The Ideological Root of Stigma In Foster Children" (2025). 2025 Symposium. 11.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2025/op_2025/o3_2025/11
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
The Ideological Root of Stigma In Foster Children
PUB 321
Children in foster care are often subjected to harmful stereotypes that set up systems that are detrimental to their development. The discrimination that foster children experience is rooted in the connection between the biological connection between foster children and their guardians; the concept of found families is often frowned upon due to the unconscious bias people have. Societal biases for genetically biological children set up a system that hinders potential and confines children to harmful stereotypes. This type of stigma allows for negative perspectives and expectations for those in care, both for children and the environment they reside in. This stigma against foster children does not just manifest out of nowhere. This stigma is deeply ingrained, and it is rooted in centuries of ideas regarding the validity and legitimacy of the nature of familial relationships.
Family is a key part regarding the development of a healthy community, however, different perspectives on the biological connection between children and their guardians are often used as ways to minimize the legitimacy of a family. In this analysis, I will organize a potential timeline of where this stigma arises and how it affects society’s approach to family. From Aristotle to Marx, their ideas of family have formed the unaddressed stigma we see among foster children today. This research explores the historical origins and societal effects of stigma around foster children, delving into the evolution of society’s perception of what a family looks like. This aims to examine the thoughts of philosophers and influential thinkers on the concept of family. This paper strives to organize an appropriate timeline for where this stigma could have started, how it has evolved, and how to deconstruct these beliefs to provide better opportunities for all children, whether they are in foster care or not.
