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Fostering Native American kids

Question:

Unfortunately this is just another sad example of what happens to kids when they are brought into ‘the system’. Government parenting has to be one of the worst situations in this country. Unfortunately, good people leave the system and then there are fewer places for these children. Most likely when this child came into state custody, there were no other homes available. I agree with you in that once a child is placed and is thriving and attaching, it should be very difficult to remove the child based on some procedural ruling. Their child should be allowed to stay. If the tribe did not come forward right from the beginning, they should not be able to now. IMHO – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Chris F." wrote: > This is a part of the whole system I (still in the "thinking about it" > stage) just don’t understand. If the child can only be adopted by Navajo > and it is likely from the start that she will become adoptable (or at > least parental rights will be terminated; I’m not sure what "accept care > and responsibilty" means but my point is still valid), why is she placed > with non-Navajo FPs to whom she will become attached and then be taken > away from? Why do these poor kids have to be moved from home to home to > home?? I completely understand why Michael and Andrea would give up > fostering when the system itself is so oblivious to the real human needs > of real human children and adults. > Chris > Michael & Andrea Lente wrote: > > Hello, all. > >    I am very new to foster parenting (as of April 23, 1999) and we > > currently have a 2 year old girl who is registered with the Navajo > > nation. Her mother has an upcoming hearing for the review of her case, > > as she still has parental rights- although this will most likely change > > after the hearing. We have fallen in love with this little girl, and she > > fits right into our family in so many ways; my husband is also Native > > American, but registered with a completely different tribe. > >    We have also done respite care and emergency foster care for 9 other > > children within this time, and none were as excellent a match > > dynamically or personality-wise as this little one. We want to adopt her > > so badly! We are definitely attached too much, considering that the > > Navajos tend to automatically accept care and responsibilty of every > > child that comes through PSD where parental rights are terminated. (Or > > so I’ve been told.) > > I would be interested in hearing from other foster parents who have been > > in this situation- whether specifically involved with this tribe or not, > > and would appreciate any advice on how to detach a little bit from > > her… I know if/when the tribe takes her, my husband and I will have > > some serious grief issues, and we’re so angry about the whole thing, we > > may refuse to foster more children after this. > >  Thanks for listening. > > Andrea > > — > > Member of the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email > > I’m fighting Spam! Join CAUCE! == http://www.cauce.org/ > > Help Outlaw Junk Email! Support HR 1748.

Response:

This is a part of the whole system I (still in the "thinking about it" stage) just don’t understand. If the child can only be adopted by Navajo and it is likely from the start that she will become adoptable (or at least parental rights will be terminated; I’m not sure what "accept care and responsibilty" means but my point is still valid), why is she placed with non-Navajo FPs to whom she will become attached and then be taken away from? Why do these poor kids have to be moved from home to home to home?? I completely understand why Michael and Andrea would give up fostering when the system itself is so oblivious to the real human needs of real human children and adults. Chris Michael & Andrea Lente wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello, all. >    I am very new to foster parenting (as of April 23, 1999) and we > currently have a 2 year old girl who is registered with the Navajo > nation. Her mother has an upcoming hearing for the review of her case, > as she still has parental rights- although this will most likely change > after the hearing. We have fallen in love with this little girl, and she > fits right into our family in so many ways; my husband is also Native > American, but registered with a completely different tribe. >    We have also done respite care and emergency foster care for 9 other > children within this time, and none were as excellent a match > dynamically or personality-wise as this little one. We want to adopt her > so badly! We are definitely attached too much, considering that the > Navajos tend to automatically accept care and responsibilty of every > child that comes through PSD where parental rights are terminated. (Or > so I’ve been told.) > I would be interested in hearing from other foster parents who have been > in this situation- whether specifically involved with this tribe or not, > and would appreciate any advice on how to detach a little bit from > her… I know if/when the tribe takes her, my husband and I will have > some serious grief issues, and we’re so angry about the whole thing, we > may refuse to foster more children after this. >  Thanks for listening. > Andrea > — > Member of the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email > I’m fighting Spam! Join CAUCE! == http://www.cauce.org/ > Help Outlaw Junk Email! Support HR 1748.

Response:

Hello, all.    I am very new to foster parenting (as of April 23, 1999) and we currently have a 2 year old girl who is registered with the Navajo nation. Her mother has an upcoming hearing for the review of her case, as she still has parental rights- although this will most likely change after the hearing. We have fallen in love with this little girl, and she fits right into our family in so many ways; my husband is also Native American, but registered with a completely different tribe.    We have also done respite care and emergency foster care for 9 other children within this time, and none were as excellent a match dynamically or personality-wise as this little one. We want to adopt her so badly! We are definitely attached too much, considering that the Navajos tend to automatically accept care and responsibilty of every child that comes through PSD where parental rights are terminated. (Or so I’ve been told.) I would be interested in hearing from other foster parents who have been in this situation- whether specifically involved with this tribe or not, and would appreciate any advice on how to detach a little bit from her… I know if/when the tribe takes her, my husband and I will have some serious grief issues, and we’re so angry about the whole thing, we may refuse to foster more children after this.  Thanks for listening. Andrea — Member of the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email I’m fighting Spam! Join CAUCE! == http://www.cauce.org/ Help Outlaw Junk Email! Support HR 1748.

Response:

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