Foster Parenting, Foster Child, Foster Care Blog - Laws Helping or Hurting Foster Care

08/20/07

Laws Helping or Hurting Foster Care

Posted by : Lanette in Foster Care Blog at 10:12 pm , 385 words, 150 views
Categories: The System

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 the heck of it law (in my opinion) is that all laundry detergent has to be locked up. I do understand that it should be placed where young children cannot get into it, which most all parents do. But why make a law that it should be locked up? How is this a benefit for the foster children?

Laws like this that do not really have any benefit, and are placing undo stress on foster families leading many to quit after growing tired of the battle. Is this really a much needed law that helps reform the foster care system? How much time, money, resources, etc. has placed into getting this to become a law? I find it hard to believe that it is one of the most pressing problems or concerns that the foster care system is facing.

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This is really concerning to me as a foster parent that instead of working, talking, and solving the major problems that are plaguing the foster care system,, they are choosing to avoid the real issues. The system is not going to fix itself nor is implementing all these new laws that have nothing to do with the problems. It is very surprising how many new laws are in the works in the state government concerning foster care.

You cannot continue building a structure when the foundation, or the overall structure is crumbling. By continuing to add new laws to a foundation in horrible need of repair is not helping the situation. This is not isolated to Texas alone; all the states are struggling with this.

More reading:

Foster Care Public or Private

Foster Care Public or Private - Can it Work?

3 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: lmg1567 [Member]

Right on target!! We have a law in MI that says each foster child should have a bed off the floor, clean sheets and a blanket and one drawer for their clothing. I find it ludicrous that anyone would license a home that doesn't supply these very basic needs. I had always thought it must have happened alot for there to be a new rule in place, but I never thought about the COST to enact these laws/rules. How dumb to spend money on making sure everyone has common sense when there are so many better ways to spend that money (respite, training, etc.)

Permalink 08/21/07 @ 06:40

Comment from: Sunbonnet Sue [Member]

In Kansas, foster children are not allowed to swim in lakes........

Permalink 08/21/07 @ 08:20

Comment from: Qiana [Member]

I live in California and we have the 2 to a room rule here. It makes sense to make sure each kid has enough space but when your home has oversized bedrooms like mine I have room for at least one more bed in each room...think of the Bradys set up. I think that the rule makes the difference between sibs staying together and its not right. I'm finding that there are more sib sets of 3 or more needing placement and I have one bedroom with bunkbeds and one bedroom that has twin beds...one of which my stepdaughter sleeps in when she visits. So even though there is space to put in another bed, maybe even a trundle, I can't because there can only be 2 in a room.

Permalink 09/08/07 @ 23:02

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