November is a busy and important month for foster care agencies because of National Adoption Day. Caseworkers are scrambling to finish up any paperwork for their upcoming adoptions. They are trying to move all cases that are being finalized on National Adoption Day to an adoption placement. This can be an almost impossible time to reach a caseworker or other child welfare personal. I am adopting on this day and I am still having issues tracking down caseworkers and other workers concerning my adoption.

While the child... more

Do all biological parents deserve second chances? Truthfully some biological parents get numerous chances. Are the children getting a second chance and at what price?

Some children cycle in and out of the foster care system time and time again for the benefit of second, third, fourth, fifth…….chances for the biological parents. The damage of this to these children cannot be undone and the effects last a lifetime.

A 15 month old toddler girl was placed into foster care after suffering a skull fracture... more

There have been some violent and aggressive foster children placed in my home not necessarily by choice. That is something that happens probably on a daily basis to a lot of foster parents. Foster parents do not go asking for violent, aggressive or dangerous foster children. I have not heard from one foster parent that has asked for a foster child that would demolish their home, a child that would harm another child, or to be assaulted in their own home.

In a lot of cases foster parents are not given any, or the needed information on a potential foster child being placed into... more

Taking Responsibility - Biological Parents

Take responsibility and do what needs to be done for your children living in foster care. I have never said or implied that there are not rare cases where children are being removed from homes that may not need to be removed. I personally have never been involved in one like this or know anyone else that has been involved so I cannot speak to that.

Our responsibility as foster parents is to provide care, teach, help them to work through their feelings,... more

Taking Responsibility - Inside a Foster Home

Foster families give up a lot to these foster children that come into their homes for care while someone else decides if, or when, these children can return home. While we understand it is not easy for the foster children, or biological family, this is no cake walk for the foster family.

If the biological parents would put half the energy that is spent hating foster parents and blaming others for their problems that placed them... more

Taking Responsibility

We receive repeated phone calls from the school because of out of control behaviors. You are assaulted by some of these children. Children urinating and defecating around your home and on your personal belongs. We could be dealing with children who are sexually acting out in public, or in front of others. One of my foster sons tried to kill my daughter and added myself to his death wish-list. My daughter had to undergo medical treatment and testing. She is left with the life... more

Foster parents are providing care for children that have been abused or neglected. We are not the ones to put them in the position of needing to be placed into foster care. Sorry, that would be the biological family. Foster parents take on the responsibility of raising foster children that their biological parents are unable to for whatever reason.

Yes, as some like to state that we, as foster parents are paid, but not a salary, as some would like to think. Foster parents are reimbursed for some expenses for the most part. This will range around $350-$630 monthly for basic foster... more

The foster care system has so many issues, and challenges that it is facing on a daily basis. What is strange is that the system continues to make more problems. Finding foster parents to provide care for the children is a challenge for child welfare, but every time you turn around, there is a new law popping up.

I totally understand and support any laws that protect foster children. Does there need to be laws just of the heck of it? In Texas, there are a couple of questionable laws that are in place and in the works to become in place. A new for... more

South Carolina is working towards streamlining foster care adoptions. A task force has been appointed to help address some problems and challenges that come with adopting from foster care. I always wonder when task forces or committees are formed if they place any foster parents on them since we are the ones that deal with a lot of the problems. This task force will include two longtime foster parents.

Anyone that has adopted for the state child welfare system can relate... more

Foster Care Public or Private

Can going from public to private be the”fix all” for the foster care system? How can it be? The same problems remain that have left the system crippling along. Everything remains the same and will just carry over while the people change places.

Some states have already moved towards or have gone to private agencies shouldering the responsibility of the foster care. In states that have gone to private care, there are... more