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The Failing system…

Question:

Amy:   I agree the foster  care system does at times fail to meet the needs of the children, I don’t buy the excuse the case workers are over worked, As a foster parent I notify the worker of any problems the child has, I feel we need more resources for the foster parents, More training and perhaps more of a say so in court. In my state a child was killed because a hrs workers did not communicate with each other,I have been very lucky to have children who are new to the system and had families who got their act together so thay could be a family again , But this was due to adesire on the parents part to want to change the system did very little to help them.

Response:

Bob- From: Alaska9…@aol.com Please read and pass on this information. We can make a difference. Every foster parent needs to help this program be the "whole story." Honoring Adoptive and Foster Parents Were you raised by adoptive or foster parents who have made a positive difference in your life? Do you have a special or unusual story about how you came into their lives? Have your adoptive or foster parents taught you any valuable life lessons that you’d like to share? The Oprah Show is working on an upcoming show that will honor outstanding adoptive and foster parents. If you have a heartwarming story about an adoptive or foster parent who has done a remarkable job raising their children, please tell us about it! Or, if you were raised by another person or have a special parent-figure or mentor who is not biologically connected to you, we’d like to hear your story. We’re also looking for people who are considering adoption and have questions and concerns, so we’d love to hear from you too! Please be sure to include your day and night phone numbers. We look forward to reading your story. Fill out the form at this site or e-mail her at em…@oprah.com. Story to tell and being on the Oprah Show: Please go to: http://oprah.com/show/be_on_the_show/foster.html#form Also, we are organizing a fosterparent support e-mail group if you’d be interested. There are members from different states, Canada and the UK. Thanks in advance for your support. -Sami

Response:

From: Alaska9…@aol.com Please read and pass on this information. We can make a difference. Every foster parent needs to help this program be the "whole story." Honoring Adoptive and Foster Parents Were you raised by adoptive or foster parents who have made a positive difference in your life? Do you have a special or unusual story about how you came into their lives? Have your adoptive or foster parents taught you any valuable life lessons that you’d like to share? The Oprah Show is working on an upcoming show that will honor outstanding adoptive and foster parents. If you have a heartwarming story about an adoptive or foster parent who has done a remarkable job raising their children, please tell us about it! Or, if you were raised by another person or have a special parent-figure or mentor who is not biologically connected to you, we’d like to hear your story. We’re also looking for people who are considering adoption and have questions and concerns, so we’d love to hear from you too! Please be sure to include your day and night phone numbers. We look forward to reading your story. Fill out the form at this site or e-mail her at em…@oprah.com. Story to tell and being on the Oprah Show: Please go to: http://oprah.com/show/be_on_the_show/foster.html#form Thanks for you support -Sami

Response:

    I have had both good and bad experiences with the "system".  I have to hand it to the worker that we had with last foster child.  She recognized that he needed special help and obtained it as fast as she possibly could considering how difficult it can be with all the paper work that needs to be done.     I would like to know if there is such a thing as CASA in New York State? If so how can I find our who it is for our two foster sons. Thanks in advance.

Response:

try this website: www.nationalcasa.org You can access info about casa in all of the states here.  That is how I found ours.  Good Luck! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sheila LaBombard wrote in message … >    I have had both good and bad experiences with the "system".  I have to >hand it to the worker that we had with last foster child.  She recognized >that he needed special help and obtained it as fast as she possibly could >considering how difficult it can be with all the paper work that needs to be >done. >    I would like to know if there is such a thing as CASA in New York State? >If so how can I find our who it is for our two foster sons. >Thanks in advance.

Response:

From what I see in Tennessee, the first goal here is always reunification. Sometimes the child is left without representation.  I know that there are casa (court appointed special advocates) in most states and their main concern is what is best for the child.  I highly recommend getting a casa volunteer for your foster children, so their best interests will be represented.  My casa person told me that there are laws here on the books from 1997 that dhs hasn’t even been trained on and most of them have to do with children’s and foster parents’ rights.  I start my casa training at the end of this month.  I know exactly how you feel and your concerns are valid. I am just trying to arm myself with as much info as possible.  It helps  me not to feel so powerless over the system. Heather     Amy Hibbard wrote in message <9393-36E733F…@newsd-253.iap.bryant.webtv.net>…     I would like to know if there are any foster parents who feel that the     system fails the child……We have had nothing but bad experiences

Response:

The failing might be partly yours. You have the final say in which children are brought into your  home. If a child seems to have behaviour problem that you are not in a position to handle, then say so. If the failing is with the social workers… then that’s harder to rectify. We’ve had some "not-so-happy" goodbyes, but we shouldn’t forget the happy times and the difference that you have made in that child’s life… even if it was a short period. Bob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Amy Hibbard wrote: > I would like to know if there are any foster parents who feel that the > system fails the child……We have had nothing but bad experiences

Response:

That is a horrendous story.  I, as a protective social worker, can’t even imagine telling a parent to get out of there before the cops catch up with her.  The system as a whole does fail many children and that is so unfortunate.  Foster parents most of the time aren’t included in the planning process.  Limited budgets, the court system and caseloads often take precident over meeting the child’s needs. You, as foster parents, have the most difficult job.  We ask so much of you and don’t include you in the decision making as much as you should be.  The problem is, these children do not have the advocates they need. The court appointed attorneys are often overloaded with cases as are the social workers.  Children fall through the cracks and I as a PSW try my best not to let that happen on my caseload.  A good book is by Marc Parent called Turning Stones.  Excellent on the child welfare system. One that has made me turn my car around on my way home, just to check one more time on a child that I have a "gut" feeling about. We must all ban together and fight for the rights and needs of children in the custody of the state.  Social workers really need to try very hard to keep the foster parents updated on everything and to really listen to their valueable  input.  Often times, schedules make it difficult to do pro-active work.  The child welfare system does mostly Re-active work.  We are always in crisis and changing schools is often one of the last thoughts.  However these children have so little stability in their lives, school is often a refuge.  We take them from their families (most of the time for very good reasons), from their pets, friends, etc.  Then we wonder why they have "attachment disorder".   Don’t be discouraged as your work does pay off, it is hard to see when all the turmoil is going on but those children talk about you for years to come.  Many a night when I am riding around with a child, they tell me of "so and so’s" house and how much they liked it there or words of wisdom from a FP.  You touch their lives!

Response:

I’m with you on this one!  It seems as if we work our butts off to help these kids that enter our home, only so the system can turn around and mess them up even more.   Here’s a perfect example: Right now we’ve got 2 kids that we’re "babysitting", they were placed with us before & their mom came and asked if we’d watch them while she got some personal problems worked out.  Their mom has arrest warrents out for her, the SW’s talked about placing the kids with us because she failed to show up for 2 weeks now (we were only suppose to have them for the weekend), but when the day came to do it they got in touch with the mom and told her to pick the kids up TODAY and to get out of the area before the cops catch up with her.  Guess it didn’t matter to the SW that the 8 year old has been in 9 different schools so far, held back in school once, and has seemed to stabilize with us in the past few weeks.  All they were concerned about is having to pay the bill if the kids ended up in care.  What a crock huh?  What ever happened to the child’s best interest?

Response:

On Wed, 10 Mar 1999 21:09:45 -0600 (CST), Amy Hibbard <Amy…@webtv.net> wrote: >I would like to know if there are any foster parents who feel that the >system fails the child……We have had nothing but bad experiences

Yep. But…. Here in Surrey (UK) the County’s social services budget is under ridiculous pressure. The amount the national Government thinks needs to be spent on Social Services went up 2.2% for 1999/2000 – less than the rate of inflation – so there’s actually _less_ to spend this year then there was last. Makes it impossible to meet children’s needs. — Mike Pellatt

Response:

I would like to know if there are any foster parents who feel that the system fails the child……We have had nothing but bad experiences

Response:

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