Today, I read this from a foster parent – the foster children in our home are almost 3, 4.5, and 6.5. They’ve been with us almost 2 years, a decision to terminate parental rights was made yesterday. The Div of Children and Families (DCF) wants to tell the 6 year old alone, and the other two together at a different time. We’ve fought so hard for reunification and establishing other kin relationships, unfortunately with no success. There will still be contact with mom but DCF has refused an in-person goodbye visit.
In looking for an image to illustrate today’s blog, I found this WordPress LINK>Reunification is Meant to Fail by Yvonne Mason Sewell. She shares an article – A Critical Look at the Child Welfare System Reunification Plans by Kevin Norell, who is a foster care caseworker.
He explains what is required of parents who want their children returned home. They have to find a job and housing. Parents are ordered into therapy, parenting classes, perhaps drug rehabilitation, and they have to find time to visit with their children. “Even an organized parent might have trouble with all that. And many of these parents are anything but organized,” Norell says.
The intent behind court ordered reunification plans may be admirable, but the reality appears to be that many plans are designed for failure, according to the 1991-1992 San Diego Grand Jury: Testimony was received regarding the hours of time which must be spent in order to comply with these plans. Defense attorneys have testified that they have told clients that it is impossible for them to work and comply with reunification. Judges and referees were observed, seemingly without thought, ordering parents into programs which require more than 40 hours per week. Frequently, these parents have only public transportation. Obviously, there is no time to earn a living or otherwise live a life. A parent often becomes a slave to the reunification plan.
From what I have read, it is not uncommon for the Department of Health and Human Resources to change the plan goal. For example, one father, through sheer determination, managed to comply with the provisions of the performance agreement. But was HRS satisfied with the result? No, HRS filed a motion for change of goal, and requested that the father’s rights regarding the child be terminated because he had failed to benefit from services in a reasonable length of time. The lower court terminated the father’s parental rights. The determined father appealed to the District Court of Appeal who reversed the decision of the lower court, holding that HRS had not met its burden of proof. The case was remanded for further proceedings. By this time, the child had been in foster care for three years.
There is more at the link if you are sincerely interested but clearly parents are not being supported in what is arguably the most important issue in their lives.
Missing Mom 