An opinion piece written for The Spectrum.com by Amy Bates.
Don't fall for the myths about foster care, adoption
The night before my first-born was scheduled to come into the world, I could not sleep. This was not only because our little "bundle of joy" decided to stick his foot into my rib, but I was just so excited by the thought of becoming his mother.
Here I am, years later, in much the same situation. As I write this article, it is the eve of our 16-year-old son being adopted into our family, and I find myself once again full of the kind of anticipation that does not allow my eyes to close.
Although there are similarities with this addition and our first one, there are some major differences. For one thing, this son will come to us pretty much grown, which is a good thing when you consider the difficulties that giving birth to a 5-foot tall, 80-pound boy might pose. Some might think a soon-to-be mother would be less than ecstatic when thinking about missing out on the baby stage and skipping right to the teen-age part, but not this mom. I am thrilled that most of that is behind me.
Since I have started writing for The Spectrum & Daily News, I have written about adoption and foster care as many times as they will let me. It is a vital part of who I am and a subject that I do not think gets enough attention. Children are suffering, and all of us need to step up and help those who need it most. I could spend my time quoting facts to you about the number of children who are waiting, how long they have to wait, or even the dire predictions made for children who "age out" of the system, but I am not sure that would motivate people to look at what they could do to help. I think it is only when we look at individual cases and hear their stories that we put a face on this heart-wrenching problem.
Continue
Showing posts with label foster parents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foster parents. Show all posts
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
A Foster Father's Experience
From Orlando Sentinel columnist George Diaz:
A Foster Father's Joy - and Heartache
He came to us last October late on a Monday afternoon, wearing a gray tank top and no shoes or socks. All of his possessions were in a plastic Publix grocery bag.
The placement woman from the Children's Home Society had cold-called as she always does, with a calm sense of urgency, looking for foster parents to take in a 22-month-old foster child. There was very little information available about him, but we asked a few questions, took a deep breath, and welcomed "Little Man" into our home.
Eight months later, he was gone. He left a few days ago with a bunch of stuff. Minnie and Donald Duck dolls, a wardrobe of clothes, his cars and trucks, his Mickey Mouse sippy cup, Nike flip-flops and a really cool pair of shoes that light up when he walks.
But this is not about all the gifts we gladly gave him. It is about the treasures he gave to us.
I can't tell you the exact minute that my wife and I fell in love with him.
He officially hooked me when he called me "daddy" for the first time. Then he piled it on:
His way of talking to inanimate objects: "Have a good day, chair!" he would sometimes say on the way out to day care. His persistence in trying to wrap flags around his little waist, wanting to play with us, when I took him to play flag football. His shout-outs of "Springsteen!" when I clicked on the CD player in the car.
And best of all, his way of imploring me to join him in the kitchen for breakfast so he could get his chocolate milk fix. "Come on, daddy," he would say, motioning to me with his little fingers. "I shows you."
It all adds up to one mushy loving mess, and in a heartbeat, we became a family.
That's how this foster parent thing usually works. Kids don't normally end up abused, neglected or in garbage bins, despite the occasional horror story in the media.
Our Little Man was not alone, unfortunately. There are more than 6,000 children living in foster homes in Florida. Each child has a different story, but share one thing in common:
They are innocent bystanders of some dysfunctional mess.
There is always an urgency to find a foster family when they are taken into state custody. Foster parents don't get to window shop, and pick out what they like best.
The foster parent thing isn't a business transaction, despite getting 18 bucks a day from the Florida Department of Children and Families. It's highly personal.
More often than not, there is a quiet resolution. Biological parents stumble, and their kids are given a safe haven while the parents progress through a case-ordered plan addressing their issues. The goal is always reunification, unless there are extreme circumstances where the parental rights are terminated.
There will be pain. But you root for the outcome that will break your heart.
"How can you let him go?" and "I would get too attached" are the lines foster parents always hear. The truth is, we have no super-powers and we get attached and we cry when they leave because your family has been ripped apart.
Through it all, you celebrate the victory of a family that is back together, whole and hopefully healthy.
I fought with every fiber in my body to keep reminding myself of that goal on our last night together when I put him to bed. We laughed and we cuddled as I read him stories from his favorite books.
I closed my eyes so he wouldn't see me crying as he said, "Love you, Daddy," and we hugged it out one last time.
The next morning, we packed his stuff and put him in the car that was taking him back home. One of his sisters was in the other car seat, smiling and happy to see him again.
I keep thinking back to that moment when I start obsessing with my personal heartache.
It is not about me. It is not about my wife. It is all about him.
He is home for Father's Day, and that is good.
Have a good day, Little Man!
To learn about becoming a foster parent, go to http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-george-diaz-foster-parent-0619120110617,0,471223.column
A Foster Father's Joy - and Heartache
He came to us last October late on a Monday afternoon, wearing a gray tank top and no shoes or socks. All of his possessions were in a plastic Publix grocery bag.
The placement woman from the Children's Home Society had cold-called as she always does, with a calm sense of urgency, looking for foster parents to take in a 22-month-old foster child. There was very little information available about him, but we asked a few questions, took a deep breath, and welcomed "Little Man" into our home.
Eight months later, he was gone. He left a few days ago with a bunch of stuff. Minnie and Donald Duck dolls, a wardrobe of clothes, his cars and trucks, his Mickey Mouse sippy cup, Nike flip-flops and a really cool pair of shoes that light up when he walks.
But this is not about all the gifts we gladly gave him. It is about the treasures he gave to us.
I can't tell you the exact minute that my wife and I fell in love with him.
He officially hooked me when he called me "daddy" for the first time. Then he piled it on:
His way of talking to inanimate objects: "Have a good day, chair!" he would sometimes say on the way out to day care. His persistence in trying to wrap flags around his little waist, wanting to play with us, when I took him to play flag football. His shout-outs of "Springsteen!" when I clicked on the CD player in the car.
And best of all, his way of imploring me to join him in the kitchen for breakfast so he could get his chocolate milk fix. "Come on, daddy," he would say, motioning to me with his little fingers. "I shows you."
It all adds up to one mushy loving mess, and in a heartbeat, we became a family.
That's how this foster parent thing usually works. Kids don't normally end up abused, neglected or in garbage bins, despite the occasional horror story in the media.
Our Little Man was not alone, unfortunately. There are more than 6,000 children living in foster homes in Florida. Each child has a different story, but share one thing in common:
They are innocent bystanders of some dysfunctional mess.
There is always an urgency to find a foster family when they are taken into state custody. Foster parents don't get to window shop, and pick out what they like best.
The foster parent thing isn't a business transaction, despite getting 18 bucks a day from the Florida Department of Children and Families. It's highly personal.
More often than not, there is a quiet resolution. Biological parents stumble, and their kids are given a safe haven while the parents progress through a case-ordered plan addressing their issues. The goal is always reunification, unless there are extreme circumstances where the parental rights are terminated.
There will be pain. But you root for the outcome that will break your heart.
"How can you let him go?" and "I would get too attached" are the lines foster parents always hear. The truth is, we have no super-powers and we get attached and we cry when they leave because your family has been ripped apart.
Through it all, you celebrate the victory of a family that is back together, whole and hopefully healthy.
I fought with every fiber in my body to keep reminding myself of that goal on our last night together when I put him to bed. We laughed and we cuddled as I read him stories from his favorite books.
I closed my eyes so he wouldn't see me crying as he said, "Love you, Daddy," and we hugged it out one last time.
The next morning, we packed his stuff and put him in the car that was taking him back home. One of his sisters was in the other car seat, smiling and happy to see him again.
I keep thinking back to that moment when I start obsessing with my personal heartache.
It is not about me. It is not about my wife. It is all about him.
He is home for Father's Day, and that is good.
Have a good day, Little Man!
To learn about becoming a foster parent, go to http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-george-diaz-foster-parent-0619120110617,0,471223.column
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Want to Learn More About the Foster Care System?
Amazon says of the book that it "tells the stories of many children and foster families. It tells them straight and backs them up with statistics and facts that show why the system works, why it doesn t, and where it needs help. It describes the special program Holly created for early identification of red flags in the lives infants and toddlers. It details how this program, ProKids Building Blocks, is making a difference, with specialized training and home visitation checklists that assist in objectifying warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed. It also identifies more than a dozen ways, large and small, anyone can apply to make a difference."
For more information about Holly Schlaak, the book, or her work please visit her website: http://www.invisiblekidsthebook.com/index.html
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Love for Orphans Transforms
An article by Jedd Medefind
President, Christian Alliance for Orphans
Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were often disposed of via the practice of “exposing.” Whether undesirable because it was malformed, female or simply inconvenient, the child would be left alone, outside the city walls, without defense before glaring sun, icy winds or roving animals.
In 374 AD, the Christian emperor Valentinian banned the practice. But for centuries prior, a marginalized group gained a reputation for rescuing these children: Christians. The early church was known, even among many who despised it, as a people who defended the orphan. Believers went outside the city to find infants abandoned there, taking them in, and often raising them as their own. This witness was one powerful factor in the vibrant life and growth of Christianity in its first 300 years, and at other high points in history as well. It can be that way again.
Last month, 1,200 Christian orphan advocates from across America and beyond gathered in Minneapolis. At moments, the ethos and interactions felt almost electric. As one band leader expressed, “It felt like that was the first time I’d been worshipping and every person in the room was really a Christian.” I understood what he meant. From families with adopted HIV+ children, to foster parents, to individuals serving the fatherless around the globe, the spirit of that community carried the feel of the early days after Pentecost. As best I can discern, here are four key reasons why:
- Caring for orphans reflects the heart of God. From Isaiah’s call to “defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17) to James’ placement of orphan care at the heart of “pure and undefiled religion” (1:27), the biblical mandate is clear. But this is not merely God’s expectation of us; it is a mirroring of His own character. “He defends the fatherless,” declares Deuteronomy 10:18. Describes the Psalmist, “He places the lonely in families.” To be like our heavenly Father, we’re invited to do the same.
- Caring for orphans makes the Gospel visible. At the heart of the Christian story is the God who pursued us when we were destitute and alone. He adopted us as His children, and invites us to live as His sons and daughters. Perhaps nothing makes this truth more tangible than when Christians follow in their Father’s footsteps, opening heart and home in unconditional affection to the child that has no claim upon them but love.
- Caring for orphans defies the gods of our age. Darwinism’s sole ethical imperative is to ensure one’s own genetic material carries forward. So like Gideon tearing down his father’s idols (Judges 6), we assault this dictate when we seek to ensure the survival, and thriving, of a child that does not share our genes. Meanwhile, the purposeful sacrifices required to love this child flout the demands of other gods also, from materialism to self-actualization to comfort. The cost must be counted. But—compared to the depth and richness found along the path of caring for orphans—these false gods are shown to be as lifeless and unsatisfying as statues of bronze or wood.
- Caring for orphans invites a journey of discipleship. “I see these kids changed,” explained a woman who helps Christians get involved with foster care, “But I think the parents are changed even more.” It’s true. Every family I know that’s opened themselves to parentless children has not gone unaltered. And though the road can be hard, even painful, virtually always it leads closer to Jesus. Expressed one adoptive mom recently, “People have said, ‘Oh, aren’t they lucky, you rescued them from whatever.’ And I think, Are you kidding? I’m the lucky one. I get to be their mom. And I get to be daily rescued from my selfishness, and my impatience, and things that are just as disease-ridden in my soul.”
Ultimately, here’s the result I see again and again: love for orphans transforms. It transforms children as they experience love and nurture they’ve come to live without. It transforms individual Christians, as we encounter Jesus deeply and personally in a destitute child. It transforms the broader community of believers as well, pulling us corporately beyond a religion of self-development to a costly-but-muscular faith. Finally, love for orphans transforms a watching world, as it sees—perhaps for the first time—the Gospel embodied.
Close friends from Washington, DC, Tom and Leah, adopted a little boy from an African nation two years ago. He’d been found, abandoned, at the edge of a forest, umbilical cord still attached. “He was left for the hyena,” described the old woman who discovered him when the newborn’s cry startled her milk cow.
When I heard that story, I couldn’t help thinking of the early Christians, going outside the city walls to take in abandoned infants. I feel the same about what’s going on in Colorado, where so many Christians have adopted from the foster system that the number of children waiting for adoption has been cut from nearly 800 in 2008 to just 365 today. The same goes for countless partnerships between U.S. Christians and churches abroad to care for orphans within their home countries as well.
Christians are again becoming known as a people who defend the cause of the fatherless. As we do, the world won’t be left unchanged. Neither will we. ~
This article can be found at the Catalyist website @ http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/june10_love_for_orphans_transforms/
President, Christian Alliance for Orphans
Unwanted infants in ancient Rome were often disposed of via the practice of “exposing.” Whether undesirable because it was malformed, female or simply inconvenient, the child would be left alone, outside the city walls, without defense before glaring sun, icy winds or roving animals.
In 374 AD, the Christian emperor Valentinian banned the practice. But for centuries prior, a marginalized group gained a reputation for rescuing these children: Christians. The early church was known, even among many who despised it, as a people who defended the orphan. Believers went outside the city to find infants abandoned there, taking them in, and often raising them as their own. This witness was one powerful factor in the vibrant life and growth of Christianity in its first 300 years, and at other high points in history as well. It can be that way again.
Last month, 1,200 Christian orphan advocates from across America and beyond gathered in Minneapolis. At moments, the ethos and interactions felt almost electric. As one band leader expressed, “It felt like that was the first time I’d been worshipping and every person in the room was really a Christian.” I understood what he meant. From families with adopted HIV+ children, to foster parents, to individuals serving the fatherless around the globe, the spirit of that community carried the feel of the early days after Pentecost. As best I can discern, here are four key reasons why:
- Caring for orphans reflects the heart of God. From Isaiah’s call to “defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17) to James’ placement of orphan care at the heart of “pure and undefiled religion” (1:27), the biblical mandate is clear. But this is not merely God’s expectation of us; it is a mirroring of His own character. “He defends the fatherless,” declares Deuteronomy 10:18. Describes the Psalmist, “He places the lonely in families.” To be like our heavenly Father, we’re invited to do the same.
- Caring for orphans makes the Gospel visible. At the heart of the Christian story is the God who pursued us when we were destitute and alone. He adopted us as His children, and invites us to live as His sons and daughters. Perhaps nothing makes this truth more tangible than when Christians follow in their Father’s footsteps, opening heart and home in unconditional affection to the child that has no claim upon them but love.
- Caring for orphans defies the gods of our age. Darwinism’s sole ethical imperative is to ensure one’s own genetic material carries forward. So like Gideon tearing down his father’s idols (Judges 6), we assault this dictate when we seek to ensure the survival, and thriving, of a child that does not share our genes. Meanwhile, the purposeful sacrifices required to love this child flout the demands of other gods also, from materialism to self-actualization to comfort. The cost must be counted. But—compared to the depth and richness found along the path of caring for orphans—these false gods are shown to be as lifeless and unsatisfying as statues of bronze or wood.
- Caring for orphans invites a journey of discipleship. “I see these kids changed,” explained a woman who helps Christians get involved with foster care, “But I think the parents are changed even more.” It’s true. Every family I know that’s opened themselves to parentless children has not gone unaltered. And though the road can be hard, even painful, virtually always it leads closer to Jesus. Expressed one adoptive mom recently, “People have said, ‘Oh, aren’t they lucky, you rescued them from whatever.’ And I think, Are you kidding? I’m the lucky one. I get to be their mom. And I get to be daily rescued from my selfishness, and my impatience, and things that are just as disease-ridden in my soul.”
Ultimately, here’s the result I see again and again: love for orphans transforms. It transforms children as they experience love and nurture they’ve come to live without. It transforms individual Christians, as we encounter Jesus deeply and personally in a destitute child. It transforms the broader community of believers as well, pulling us corporately beyond a religion of self-development to a costly-but-muscular faith. Finally, love for orphans transforms a watching world, as it sees—perhaps for the first time—the Gospel embodied.
Close friends from Washington, DC, Tom and Leah, adopted a little boy from an African nation two years ago. He’d been found, abandoned, at the edge of a forest, umbilical cord still attached. “He was left for the hyena,” described the old woman who discovered him when the newborn’s cry startled her milk cow.
When I heard that story, I couldn’t help thinking of the early Christians, going outside the city walls to take in abandoned infants. I feel the same about what’s going on in Colorado, where so many Christians have adopted from the foster system that the number of children waiting for adoption has been cut from nearly 800 in 2008 to just 365 today. The same goes for countless partnerships between U.S. Christians and churches abroad to care for orphans within their home countries as well.
Christians are again becoming known as a people who defend the cause of the fatherless. As we do, the world won’t be left unchanged. Neither will we. ~
This article can be found at the Catalyist website @ http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/june10_love_for_orphans_transforms/
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Book Recommendation for Those Considering Adopting or Fostering
Out of Many, One Family: How Two Adults Claimed Twelve Children Through Adoption
By Bart and Claudia Fletcher
Third Degree Parenting,2009, ISBN: 978-0-615- 31538-6,221 pages, $15
“Out of Many, One Family,” is the true story of two remarkable people who decided to grow their family through adoption. That sole decision leads to a 10-year journey creating a permanent home for 12 children, as well as a temporary home for numerous foster children.
Bart and Claudia Fletcher share their experiences, joys and challenges of fostering, adopting foster children and adopting internationally. By far, “Out of Many, One Family,” is one of the best foster and adoption books available. Because few people have journeyed through so many different avenues of adoption, the Fletchers provide a wealth of information about adoption. The book weaves together the Fletchers’ personal journey with a great user-friendly list of “what they learned” at the end of each chapter which could be essential for parents exploring the idea of adoption. The Fletcher’s openly share the positive and the negative of their adoption and fostering experiences, which creates a
realistic picture of raising children with difficult backgrounds, as well as the unique joy of blending a family together.
Their words of wisdom are priceless, providing a great window into the world of those who feel called to foster and adopt. This book would be a wonderful introduction for those considering fostering or adopting, as well a good read for the more seasoned parent with similar experiences. I commend the Fletcher’s for creating “Out of Many, One Family” in such an easy-to-read format that kept me flipping the pages to follow their
journey. I will anxiously await the sequel to their first book.
— Reviewed by Kim Phagan-Hansel
Friday, April 30, 2010
Considering Adoption or Foster Parenting?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Two Tales From Florida's Foster Care - from the Orlando Sentinel's "Fixing Foster Care" Special Report
One story is tragic:
Can death of a young man save future kids in Florida's foster care?
In the last photo ever taken of him alive, Regis Little is a handsome teen, his head cocked back confidently, a bemused smile across his lips. A faint patch of young beard curls from his chin. Frozen in that moment, he looks invincible.
In reality, the 18-year-old product of Florida's foster-care system was tragically vulnerable.
One night last July, several months after he had aged out of the system, he was found stabbed in a parking lot off International Drive, a crowd of spectators gathered around his body. By the time paramedics arrived, Regis Little was dead.
Continue with story: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-regis-20100413,0,7939142.story
The other is inspiring.
Former foster child travels Road to Independence
When Kamesha Grant turned 18 in November, she packed a suitcase, left her home in St. Cloud, climbed aboard a bus alone and headed for a new life. As a foster child, it was time to move on.
That's the way the system typically works in Florida. But it's not just a shove out the door. In Grant's case, there was something better ahead.
Taking advantage of the state's Road to Independence program available to teens transitioning out of foster care, Grant already had lined up a place to rent, a $1,000 monthly stipend, training in financial matters and life skills, and a detailed plan for her future.
When local child-welfare advocates want an example of how things can go right, Grant often becomes Exhibit A. She is bright, personable and exceedingly polite, and she did something almost unheard of in Department of Children and Families history: She actually asked to go back into foster care.
"Kamesha gets a lot of the credit for being where she is," said Bethanie Barber, her guardian ad litem, the court-appointed attorney charged with advocating for Grant's best interests. "She is very, very savvy, she has incredible internal motivation and she was absolutely receptive to everything we put in front of her."
Continue story - http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-kamesha-20100419,0,2535312.story
Can death of a young man save future kids in Florida's foster care?
In the last photo ever taken of him alive, Regis Little is a handsome teen, his head cocked back confidently, a bemused smile across his lips. A faint patch of young beard curls from his chin. In reality, the 18-year-old product of Florida's foster-care system was tragically vulnerable.
One night last July, several months after he had aged out of the system, he was found stabbed in a parking lot off International Drive, a crowd of spectators gathered around his body. By the time paramedics arrived, Regis Little was dead.
Continue with story: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-regis-20100413,0,7939142.story
The other is inspiring.
Former foster child travels Road to Independence
That's the way the system typically works in Florida. But it's not just a shove out the door. In Grant's case, there was something better ahead.
Taking advantage of the state's Road to Independence program available to teens transitioning out of foster care, Grant already had lined up a place to rent, a $1,000 monthly stipend, training in financial matters and life skills, and a detailed plan for her future.
When local child-welfare advocates want an example of how things can go right, Grant often becomes Exhibit A. She is bright, personable and exceedingly polite, and she did something almost unheard of in Department of Children and Families history: She actually asked to go back into foster care.
"Kamesha gets a lot of the credit for being where she is," said Bethanie Barber, her guardian ad litem, the court-appointed attorney charged with advocating for Grant's best interests. "She is very, very savvy, she has incredible internal motivation and she was absolutely receptive to everything we put in front of her."
Continue story - http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-foster-care-freefall-kamesha-20100419,0,2535312.story
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Want to Know What It's Like to Be a Foster Child?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Invitation to Spirit Week!
Mon., Oct. 26, 2009 - Fri., Oct. 30, 2009
3 - 6 p.m.
Orlando Downtown Recreation Center
649 W. Livingston St.
Orlando, FL 32801
3 - 6 p.m.
Orlando Downtown Recreation Center
649 W. Livingston St.
Orlando, FL 32801
Family Services of Metro Orlando has been selected by the Atlanta-based Dwight D. Howard Foundation as its local partner for a multi-day event to mark its expansion into the central Florida area.
The event, Spirit Week, will be open to participation by foster youth and former foster youth (reunified, adopted, aged out) and will involve four days of fun afterschool life skills learning opportunities focusing on:
· Dealing with negative pressure
· Goal setting
· Social etiquette
· "Work to earn"
· Proper money management
Youth may but do not need to participate on all four days.
The Dwight D. Howard Foundation and Family Services of Metro Orlando are supporting the cost of youth attendance over the four day period.
On the fifth day (October 30, 2009), the Dwight D. Howard Foundation will host a Family Fun Day free for all families to be held at:
Faith World Church 7601 Forest City Rd. Orlando, FL 32810
A limited number of slots are available for youth to participate in the afterschool life skills learning activities.
RSVP to Bart Mawoussi at bmawoussi@fsmetroorlando.org or 407-398-7332.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Home Missions - Consider Foster Care!
Do you have a spare room in your home…room in your heart…for a child in need?
Consider foster parenting in partnership with the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. For more information attend an orientation meeting on Tuesday, 8/4/09, from 6:30-8:00 pm at the FBC, Orlando Pregancy/Counseling Center training room on Bruton Blvd. Please RSVP if attending to 407-514-4394. For additional information regarding the foster care program contact Laurie Ingram at 407-514-4394 or e-mail laurie.ingram@fbchomes.org.
Consider foster parenting in partnership with the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. For more information attend an orientation meeting on Tuesday, 8/4/09, from 6:30-8:00 pm at the FBC, Orlando Pregancy/Counseling Center training room on Bruton Blvd. Please RSVP if attending to 407-514-4394. For additional information regarding the foster care program contact Laurie Ingram at 407-514-4394 or e-mail laurie.ingram@fbchomes.org.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
Did you know that until 1975, most States discouraged or directly prohibited foster parents from being considered as potential adoptive parents to children they fostered? It’s true. For the most part, these restrictions existed to protect against foster parents becoming too attached to children who may ultimately be returned to their biological families. Thanks to the educational efforts of advocates, policymakers soon learned that these well meaning laws and policies were, in effect, hindering children from finding a safe, loving and permanent home of their own. So, instead they put in place laws, policies and programs aimed at promoting foster adoption and today 67% of children adopted out of foster care are adopted by their foster parents.
This is just one of many examples of how law and policy can serve as a barrier to children realizing their basic right to a family. Realizing that federal policymakers had the power to overcome such barriers, in 2001, advocates for the world’s orphaned and foster youth founded the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). In founding CCAI, these advocates sought to match Members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption’s commitment to finding a home for every child with the information and resources needed to make that dream a reality. Since that time, CCAI has strived to be an objective resource for information critical to advancing the efforts of federal policymakers on behalf of children. Through its five core programs, CCAI’s goal is to educate federal policymakers about the need for reform; coordinate Congressional and community efforts to bring about change and facilitate opportunities for communication and awareness.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Foster Care Orientation Meeting
Are you interested in becoming a foster parent?
You are invited to an Orientation Meeting regarding the ministries of foster care through the Florida Baptist Children's Homes. We look forward to meeting each of you, discussing the services we offer, and answering any questions you may have about Foster Care.
When: Thursday, June 25, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Where: First Baptist Church Orlando
3125 Bruton Blvd.
Training Room between the Pregnancy and Counseling Centers
Please RSVP by contacting Laurie Ingram, Area Social Worker
laurie.ingram@fbchomes.org or 407-514-4394
You are invited to an Orientation Meeting regarding the ministries of foster care through the Florida Baptist Children's Homes. We look forward to meeting each of you, discussing the services we offer, and answering any questions you may have about Foster Care.
When: Thursday, June 25, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Where: First Baptist Church Orlando
3125 Bruton Blvd.
Training Room between the Pregnancy and Counseling Centers
Please RSVP by contacting Laurie Ingram, Area Social Worker
laurie.ingram@fbchomes.org or 407-514-4394
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Putting Faith in Foster Care - an article from the St. Louis Post Dispatch
Finding permanent homes for Missouri's foster children might come down to a matter of faith — in numbers.
That's the theory behind a coalition of 45 St. Louis area Christian churches that have pledged to help find foster and adoptive families in their congregations. Emily Nienhuis, lead organizer for the effort, called Fostering Faithful Families, said it could change the lives of hundreds of foster kids. "There are about 8,000 churches in Missouri, and so why are there still 1,400 kids waiting for adoption in Missouri if there's all these churches?" said Nienhuis, who is also director of the One Heart Family Ministries, a Christian group that promotes adoption of foster kids. "It should be preached in those churches that we are there to look out for the orphans who so need our help. "
The new group will sponsor its first recruiting event today at Calvary Church in St. Peters. It will partner with the Missouri Department of Social Services' Children's Division and a Colorado-based Christian advocacy group, Focus on the Family. The free event will encourage Christians to adopt older foster children and involve their churches in the foster care system. Participants today will see a photo gallery of adolescent foster children, meet representatives from children's agencies and hear speakers on adopting foster kids. Prospective parents can even begin the initial adoption process.
Fostering Faithful Families is based on the idea that church congregations can support foster and adoptive parents, providing everything from prayer circles and hand-me downs to baby sitting. New foster parents can often feel overwhelmed by the demands of a new child and an avalanche of court appointments and state regulations.
"Unfortunately, most foster parents have one placement and then quit," Nienhuis said. Faith-based involvement in foster care is not new in Missouri or the nation.
In 2004, Missouri lawmakers passed legislation requiring the Children's Division to seek out partnerships with religious groups. The law came in the wake of former President George W. Bush's push to fund faith-based partnerships for social welfare programs. The law prompted the creation of Missouri Compassion, which connects churches with the Children's Division to help foster children by, for example, providing clothes and food.
But Fostering Faithful Families, which takes no state or federal money, is the first faith-based movement in Missouri trying to create new foster and adoptive families. It is also one of the more organized faith-based alliances in the country, said Kelly Rosati of Focus on the Family. Amy Martin, adoption program manager with the Children's Division, said the faith-based nature of the program is not an issue. Foster parents are not restricted from bringing kids into their faiths unless a child or a biological parent forbids it. Nienhuis said foster parents find that children in state custody have rarely been raised in an organized religious community. The arrangement also passes muster with critics of faith-based government initiatives. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, for example, says it doesn't have a problem as long as the program is not subsidized by government dollars and does not favor one religion. But groups trying to reform the foster care system still have doubts.
The National Coalition for Child Protection Reform believes churches can better serve children by helping their biological families so the kids can return to them. Fostering Faithful Families started its work in March, training its first round of "ambassadors." They will head ministries supporting foster families in specific churches. They include Erika Van Order, a member of Memorial Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, who has adopted one foster child, now 4, whom she took in as an infant. She is a foster mother to two other children. Van Order said foster care can be "a roller coaster of emotions" as she deals with child advocates, the family court, the Children's Division and, in her case, the natural parents of some of her foster kids. "You tend to live court date to court date, not knowing if your kid is going back," she said. "Sometimes you agree with the court and sometimes you don't." Van Order said that a week after she first became a foster parent, her church held a surprise baby shower. Parishioners have also offered bags of hand-me-downs and other help. But most important, when a court date arrives, she said, she gets something even greater: a community praying for her and the kids.
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