This is a reply to a comment left here concerning how I, or other foster parents would know that biological parents were not working their plans.

Biological parents not working their plans are not in most cases a top secret thing from the foster parents or other people involved with the foster children. Yes, there are confidentiality rules that people not involved with the case knowing the information. No, for the record I know this information because I hear it from the biological parents mouths as do most other foster parents.

Case... more

I will be following up on comments left by Bob, here. Most states if not all are geared towards family reunification which is a good primary option on the table for foster children. The problem and concern is that in some cases, the family reunification overrides the rights of a child and may not be best for them. No one is against family reunification when it is right for all family members including the children.

The problem is that family reunification becomes... more

This is a response to a comment left on the post “What Happens if Biological Parents Don’t Work Their Plan?” I will share my experiences, and others that are also involved in foster care that I know. Granted, I do realize that every case is very different.

Deb Donatti’s comment was “I am wondering how often the parents get the kids back, only to have them land back in foster care quickly again, and do they start that count/ allowed time to work... more

What Happens When a Kinship Placement Doesn't Adopt?

If the kinship placement is unable to provide the foster children a permanent placement and no other family members step forward, then the child will be placed into the main stream foster care system. The goal will then become seeking an adoptive placement for these foster children.

No one can say what a foster child’s chances of finding an adoptive placement are. There are so many things that have... more

I have been asked a rather difficult question, or maybe it is has more to do with the fact that I know the possible outcomes. Below is one of the questions, and I will continue answering the other questions in posts:

In a kinship placement, if the biological mother does not work the plan and the family member providing foster care does not want, or unable to adopt the child what happens? Do foster children really get adopted or do they live in the system?

One of the reasons this is a little hard for me to write is that I fostered... more

This is one question that I have been asked in an email and also hear from time to time. I will start with what should happen.

Soon, after the children are placed into foster care the biological parents are given a service plan. Please remember, things will differ somewhat state to state or within the states things can also be different. The biological parents may also have different plans or individual areas that they may need to work on. They are given a year to work their plan, but with saying that, they also are suppose to be showing progress that... more

Struggling With The Foster Care System

At times trying to deal with stress and issues which comes along with being a foster parent or adopting from foster care can seem like a lot to bear. On occasion, it is natural to wonder why we as foster parents keep enduring all the headaches and stress of dealing with Child Welfare being a daily part of our lives.

If my family had given up when we suffered our first... more

My next few posts will be addressing comments and questions that I have also received through emails. Some questions are a little harder to answer because every state has different laws, every foster care situation is different, and everyone has different thoughts and views.

Reader bjc commmeted: I feel your frustration about how everyone else's rights are served before that child's (and as a foster mom, I have less than zero rights evidently.)... more

Christina, as an infant along with her sister was given to her abusive biological father to parent after her biological mother decided that being a mother was something she did not want. When she was in fifth grade she finally told a teacher that she was scared to go home because she thought her father would kill her.

At that point, she and her sister were placed into foster care where they were then placed with her paternal grandmother. Sadly, their biological father... more

Closing the Door to 2007 – "The Good" I started talking about the good things that happened in 2007 that involved foster care, now I am moving to the not so good area.

The foster care system has been stretched to its limit this year. In Texas, foster children were left to sleep in Child Welfare offices, and later, to hotels rooms. Most states... more