Quote From: wi_mom_1981I am a foster mom in WI. My husband and I are proud foster parents of a brave, sweet & wonderful boy. He has been with us for over 2 years and has grown incredibly and profoundly when considering where he came from. He was a child that was abused and neglected on a daily basis. It took over 10 months and 20 calls into CPS before he was removed from his home. This is because of all the evidence that needs to be taken before a child can be removed. If someone is removed from their biological family's home, trust me, there is definite cause. Furthermore, when (if) the parent(s) do the right thing and can provide the child with a safe & loving environment, the child(ren) will be returned to their home. I understand how important biological families are and no child should be without theirs, if they are safe and well cared for. However, when that can not happen, what better alternative is there then a safe & loving home where a foster child is not defined by their genetics but rather their own individuality and loved and cared for because they are innocent children. Most foster families are wonderful people with big hearts who open their homes up and give children the stable, safe & loving environment they lacked in their biological family's home.
I am a fan of your show, but I feel the foster care system and foster parents were not shown accurately. In a previous post, a case worker corrected you regarding the fact that the foster kids can choose to have assistance until 21 and college paid for them if they choose to go. I want to point this out again, just in case it was missed the first time.
I understand that there are areas that could be improved, just like any other area that the government runs. However, I feel your show was one sided and considering that May is National Foster Care Month, I think it would have been more uplifting to look at the positive homes, stories & changes that occur because of foster care.
Wow, things are different in PA. All akid needs to do Is sexual abuse and they're out of the house. Okay, understandable at least at first. But I love how a case can be "founded" when there's no evidence, just a letter to a Guidance councellor.
You see, I have friend whose daughter has done this. The daughter has wanted to go live w/ an Aunt and Uncle for quite some time, they allow her to do whatever she wants. she's also angry at her parents because they found out she was messing around w/ 23 yr. old guy (she was13) in the Aunt and Uncle's house. The parents pressed charges and had him sent to jail. She also was looking to stay in the special (very easy work at your own pace ciriculuum) school for troubled kids she manged to get herself placed in.
Well, the staff there felt she was ready to go back to her normal school and she made comments as to how she knew she could pull something to keep her in. Next thing we all know, Children and Youth call and say they've removed her. Guess where they sent her, the Aunt and Uncle's. her parents had to throw a hissy fit to get her moved somewhere else.
In her letter (the only piece of physical "evidence" ) there's a whole pargraph addressed directly to a specific guidance councellor who wanted to send her back. In essence it says " Mr. X (name of school) is like a family to me and once you're in a family you don't ever leave it," balh blah blah. that should be the first clue, the letter is faked. She goes on to say the abuse started when she was 8,9, or 10......ummm okay. she also claims that the abuse declined in nature. There's just so many holes in her story and room for doubt, it's stupid. BTW, she has 10 and 13 year old brothers who have never been questioned as to whether they ever remember their dad secluding himself w/ their sister, the dad who worked 2nd and 3rd shift and alot of O.T. so was rarely around.
But somehow, in the Kangaroo court they call Juvenile court, the charges were founded. BUT they want to work on reunification of the family. 'cept the parents don't want her back, they feel she's dangerous, and could be a danger to their sons, and w/ good reason since, the daughter set some girl's hair on fire on the bus.
I would just like to see the system work , really work for once. Her dad may go to jail because of all this, and she's still trying to get to go live w/ the Aunt and Uncle and even has a weekly visit unsupervised in their home and the (then) 23 year old who DID molest her, he's out of jail and lives next door to the Aunt and Uncle.
