Foster Parenting, Foster Child, Foster Care Blog

02/22/06

Changing The System

Posted by : Bill in Foster Care Blog at 05:33 pm , 391 words, 79 views
Categories: x-Archives-x

I have said in previous posts that I believe the foster care system needs to change. Don't worry, I still do. One of the biggest things that needs to change is that there needs to be a foster care "template" set up. I am learning web design and this term, I think, fits.

There needs to be a successful model established, that would address all of the needs of foster children. It then needs to be implemented, monitored, and followed to successful completion. We know what is wrong with the current system, but what is right? Let's build on that and make it consistent in every state.

As it is, in our state, there is money available for the foster parents through an organization called the Arizona Friends of Foster Children. They have grants for a variety of kids' activities. In other states they may or may not have similar programs. We even have the Yavapai Casa for Kids, Inc., that provides funds to cover things not paid for by the Friends of Foster Children.

SPONSOR

All this is in addition to funds provided to foster parents through the local DES office. They have money available for school clothes, school supplies, summer camp, vacations,...etc. Arizona is 49th in the country in education, but maybe we're advanced as far as foster care.

Regardless of what is available in each state, they should all be consistent with programs and available funds for foster care. Also, foster parents are only required to have a certain number of hours of training per year to keep their license. In Arizona, it is less than what a CASA is required to have, and we only need 12 hours of training (this is per YEAR). Yes, this is pretty sad.

What if foster parents had a list of things that they needed to do, as far as being a foster parent and taking care of the kids? What if every foster home you went to had the same rules, and all the foster parents had the same training from experts like Dr. G? What if foster parents had someone (maybe a volunteer) that came with the kid that was placed in the foster home, who was trained to help with any behavior problems that might occur? What if?

My question is, why not? Let me know what you think.

4 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: DrG [Visitor]

Bill, thanks for the "shout out" here in your post! Your questions are such good ones. It makes me crazy when I think about how things would be if we could only mobilize a comprehensive coordinated effort at the city, state and federal level for these kids.

I had a tiny surrealistic glimpse of what that could actually be like back in 2002 when me and my family were invited to the White House to witness the signing of the Safe and Stable Family Act by President Bush. It's a long story about how we managed to get on stage with the President for such an honor. Actually, I think I'll post on that and upload the images and the speech in the near future. But because of it for a brief moment in time, I could actually connect the dots and see how all the pieces could fit together...and work!

There I stood on the stage with my family, including my two daughters who were adopted from therapeutic foster care, watching the President of the United States of America sign into law a bill that provided Block Grants to States for adoption, foster care, and family preservation services. THEN months later, once the money was actually available at the state and local levels, because of my work with local child welfare agencies, I was paid as a direct service provider with some of those same funds for extensive evaluation and treatment services as well as training for foster care workers.

I could actually see how it OUGHT to work on a grander scale many times over, if, if, IF only the right systems in place. Argh! It makes me crazy. So...hey, where do we start? Who do we write? How do we organize?

Permalink 02/22/06 @ 18:41

Comment from: Larry~ [Visitor] · http://www.larrya.us

First Bill, thank you for your blog about my books, I appreciate it. Also, I will send a private message to you as to your request.
The foster care system is broken. Not a single state passed the recent federal audit to providing at least the 7 minimum standards of foster care set by the feds.
There is much to be done and I feel the first step is to federalize child welfare and provide standardized guidelines to be followed across the country so everyone is operating on the same page. The final 4 chapters of my book, "A Voice from the Voiceless & Forgotten" addresses in detail many of the reforms I would make. It includes CPS, foster care and adoption as I feel you must reform all 3 areas and not just one for true reform to happen.

Peace,
Larry~

Permalink 02/23/06 @ 04:41

Comment from: Bill [Member]

· http://foster-care.adoptionblogs.com/

Thanks for the comments, Dr. G. I don't know where to start, that is the problem. I think this blog site is a good start. We have already heard from Mr. Adams (thanks Larry), now we just need to get in touch with Bruce Willis and some other celebrities to help us out.

Permalink 02/23/06 @ 10:52

Comment from: Bill [Member]

· http://foster-care.adoptionblogs.com/

Larry,
So how do we get started changing the current system? I'm not surprised about the audit you mentioned, since there is no set way to do things across the country. The current leadership hasn't helped anything.

Can you imagine what might have been possible had the money spent on the war in Iraq been used instead for foster care reform? I mean, if there was a plan on how it was to be allocated?

Permalink 02/23/06 @ 10:57

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