Introduction Currently, approximately 500 000 children are in the foster care system in the USA. Youths who reside in foster care are at a greater risk for various negative outcomes than their peers who are not in foster care and adolescents have an even greater susceptibility for negative outcomes. Some of these negative outcomes may include diminished sense of self-value, stigmatization, strain on interpersonal relationships, delayed independent and poor mental-health outcomes. Given the heightened risk for negative outcomes researchers have begun to focus on potential protective factors for those in foster care. According to Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011) “self-esteem is defined as an individual’s feelings of self-worth, liking, and acceptance. In contrast Elizabeth Fernandez, author of how children experience fostering outcomes: participatory research with children says that “self-esteem and self-efficacy are cited as building blocks of resilience”. Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011) then go on to say that “adolescent development of self-esteem occurs at a time when the adolescent’s physical appearance is changing, hormones are fluctuating, and he/she is entering a new developmental stage”. There is limited research on self-esteem specifically for youths in foster care; researchers suggest that rather than demonstrating stability or change during adolescence, exploring how self-esteem of subgroups is influenced by other factors may be of greater future importance to understanding longer-term psychosocial outcomes (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey 2011). As a social worker I believe this is important because self-esteem in young children can make or break them. If someone they look up to is constantly hurting them verbally, then they will begin to believe the things that are said and could possible want to harm them. Our children are so precious and we as adults need to be mindful of how we treat them. Research shows the impact adults have may be at its greatest in early years, when parents are the major source of knowledge. During their early years, young children's self-esteem is based largely on their perceptions of how the important adults in their lives judge them. The extent to which children believe they have the characteristics valued by the important adults and peers in their lives figures greatly in the development of self-esteem. Studies have suggested that children’s self-esteem is positively linked to maternal affection and negatively linked to parental indifference. The theory that is attached to the topic of “Children and Self-esteem” is attachment theory. Attachment theory is a psychological model that attempts to describe the dynamics of long-term interpersonal relationships between humans. As it pertains to this topic Attachment theory maintains that the parent–child bond formed early in life is an important aspect of human development (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey 2011). Literature Review In an article addressing important relationships and self-esteem of adolescents in foster care the authors Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011) purpose of study was to examine the extent to which relationships with biological parents, foster parents and peers influenced the self-esteem of adolescents in foster care. When it comes down to the relationship between the child and their biological parents it is very important especially if the child is suppose to be taken back into their care. The frequent contact between them creates a strong attachment. The benefit of visitation with biological parents, however, has been disputed (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011). According to Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011) caseworkers and foster parents report beliefs that children’s contact with biological parents can be disruptive, causing behavioral problems to worsen and threatening children’s coping and adaptation to their foster homes. A significant amount of research has focused on children bonds with their foster parents and factors that contribute to a more satisfying, reciprocal relationship for adolescents in care disputed (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey 2011). Farineau, Wojciak and McWey (2011) demonstrated that children in foster care who had a more positive representation of self and better coping mechanisms had a higher level of acceptance by foster parents. This acceptance has also shown a positive relation between the foster parents and the child’s self-esteem. Predictors of high self-esteem were associated with youths who felt included in the foster family and supported by their foster parents (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey 2011). Peer relationships are also important. Majority of a child’s time is spent at school. For adolescents in foster care, where connections with their biological family members may have been weakened, relationships with peers may be of even greater significance (Farineau, Wojciak and McWey 2011). Based on an ethnographic study of youths r