When there is a court hearing should an older foster child be present to talk the judge and involved in the decisions that are made about their future? Could a teen’s future outcome be different if they take an active part in the decision making process?

We wonder, ask why older foster children are not involved or prepared for their future. The truth is the caseworkers, courts, judges, and foster parents are the ones making decisions and plans for the foster child. When in reality we as a whole are not doing what is in the best interest of the child. We have the responsibility to teach, equip them in how to make choices and decisions for their future. These children will start... more

A bill in Montana is trying to be passed that would require the state to implement a “parental values plan”.

The plan would use the parents' ''values, wishes and desires'' to help guide foster parents in making decisions about the child's education and religious upbringing.

First thing we are talking about parents that have some serious issues or problems, that have placed their children into the foster care system. So, a lawmaker thinks now that the bio parents should tell the foster parent now to be parents to the children. Remind me again, if they have made... more

There is a desperate need of foster homes for children already in the foster care system. Most every state is having difficulties providing a foster home to children coming into care or already in care. In the Bay Area of California, they are seeking help from the area religious community.

In San Mateo and Santa Clara counties there are about 500 children needing homes. There are around 1,200 churches in the area. If one family from each church would become foster parents, this would allow every child a home. You may read the entire article from this link. In San Mateo county there are 457 foster children but they only... more

A two month old baby boy was placed into foster care due to neglect, in Concord, New Hampshire. A non-lawyer volunteer was appointed by a judge to serve as the baby’s Court Appointed Special Advocate. The court appointed volunteer and the state caseworker worked for three years to reunite this baby boy to his bio family. It was decided to move to terminate parental rights.

The boy’s foster family tried to set up an appointment with the division’s attorney. Without the support from the division’s attorneys, the foster family hired their own attorney to advise and to protect the interest of their foster son.

Federal law mandates guardians for all abused and neglected... more

Does the skin color affect an abused child being left in a home to endure more abuse? Should the color of a person matter when removing a child to protect then from abuse? Should it matter that the foster care system in the area has a high percentage for a particular race? Are they sacrificing the safety for children to make their numbers of black children in foster care look better?

In California, Contra Costa County, there is a severe division in what is happening with their foster care. Caseworkers are reporting that they cannot remove black children under the age of 3 without a supervisor’s approval. They have two different standards of removal. Reportedly children... more

Chicago, Illinois has launched a new add and program “Don’t write me off”. They are uniting child welfare agencies from Illinois to try and improve the perception and feelings of the community concerning foster care. They are trying to get the community involved in the foster care by volunteering, donating monies or school supplies, etc. They are getting the idea that foster care can not be totally left up to the foster parents. The foster parents need understanding, encouragement, and help with school supplies, Christmas, clothing, summer camps, after school activities, etc.

I personally applaud what Illinois is trying to do for the foster children. I hope it turns out to... more

A 7 year old little girl will be returning to her mother, after spending over a month in foster care. The 38 year old women was brutally beaten with the butt of a shot gun and raped. The man broke into her home in Georgia, locked the little girl in the closet of the same room her mother was raped in. The rapist then told the mother that he was going to rape her young daughter. The mother ran to the kitchen to retrieve a butcher knife to protect her daughter. She struggled in a fight for her own life and her daughter’s life. He was stabbed repeatedly. In the struggle the mother was stabbed and her attacker threw a pot of boiling tea from the stove on the mother. The attacker exited the... more

A town in Utah (South Jordan) is proposing a new city ordinance that could become costly to foster parents. They want to limit the number of free emergency calls to foster parents to three a year. A foster family would be given three free calls to police or fire annually. After the foster family’s three free calls , they would be charged a $100.00 fee for each additional. They also would be required to register with the police department, so they could be monitored by the police.

My first concern would be, does this also include ambulances for foster families. There are children in foster care that are medical fragile, how does this affect them?

In foster care training... more

Texas has passed a new law that takes effect January 1, 2007, that a foster parent can’t smoke in front of their foster children including their homes and cars. I can understand the state’s concerns about second-hand smoke with children that already have a number of things to over come. Yes, the surgeon general states that second-hand smoke can lead to SIDS and other respiratory ailments. In the beginning they wanted to not allow any smoking on the grounds of a foster home including outside, they decided to allow smoking outside.

I know great foster parents that do smoke (we don’t smoke). They will adjust but should they have to be restricted? There is such a shortage of... more