Infants in Foster Care

The Court Appointed Special Advocates for children (CASA) most recent newsletter focused on infants in the foster care system They reported that in 2010 half of the children entering foster care were under five years old.

If a child is entering foster care at such a young age it is most likely due to some type of neglect and maltreatment, which can translate into a variety of issues for the children. In Brenda Jones Harden and Carlo Panlilio's report Developmental Outcomes of Infants and Toddlers in the Child Welfare System we know a little more about what problems these kids are exposed too. The issues they discuss range from, delays in cognitive development with relation to literacy and language skills that translates into lower academic progress, delayed physical growth, and social-emotional problems. This shows just how important a child's' judge and foster parents are for these young children. They have the ability to help and support these children and reverse some of these potential problem. 

In addition to judges and foster parent who are directly involved in a child's life there are multiple organizations that provide help for these infants. One of the most influential programs being; Zero to Three (ZTT). Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. Just like A Family For Every Child they have a variety of programs and initiatives to support their mission, some of which focus on infants in or about to enter the foster care system. 

In order to promote the well-being of all children there are many different programs being set into motion due to the innovation of Zero to Three and many other organizations across the nation. These tactics include: 

• Pre-removal conferences- Conferences that help to reduce trauma to children .
• The creation of Court Teams Initiatives by ZTT to address developmental needs of young children in the system. 
• Programs aimed towards involving Fathers in their child's life.
• "Parent Partners" Started with the help of ZTT to provide support to parents working to regain custody of their children.  
•  Family Wellness Court to keep infants and toddlers with their families.

More initiatives and stories focused on helping toddlers in, or about to enter, foster care/welfare system can be found at the Judges' Page March Newsletter from CASA.

Foster parents for infants/toddlers can often be hard to find because this age group is notorious for being short term placements and being more susceptible to problems from pregnancy. But the parents who do foster these children can be the ones who have the most positive impact on these babies and can change their lives forever. And as outlined above there are numerous organizations and programs designed to help both the children and their foster care providers.  

Nervous About Adopting? You're not Alone

In a recent interview with Anderson Cooper, Kristin Davis admitted that she was very nervous about adopting a child for many reasons. The main reason for her trepidation is that the adoption process itself is so complicated and nerve-racking. There is always a chance that, for one reason or another an adoption won't go through. In the interview she also admits that she was nervous about the fact that she was a single mother. She worried that birth families, especially in the United States would rather have their child be adopted by a family rather than a single parent.

Davis, who adopted her daughter last summer, is not alone in her adoption fears. There are many potential adoptive parents that are nervous about adoption for multiple reasons. In the most recent issue in the Adoption Guide an adoptive parent shares her adoption story and reveals her husbands initial reluctance to adopting a common issue among possible adoptive parents. Having one partner who doesn't necessarily want to adopt is another common problem that push parents away from adopting.

An article from Adoption.com posted a list of the most common fears adoptive parents face. We've listed some of the one's we think are the most common:

• Financial capabilities 
• Bonding with the child 
• Acceptance from peers
• Open adoptions 
• Children still being attached to birth parents 
• Fears about being too old 
• And many more

 It is so common that just by thinking about the adoption process many fears present itself and unfortunately the worries don't stop there. Once you've become a parent it seem as if there is something you can always worry about when regarding your kids.

(A Clip from Cooper's interview with Davis) 

But if there are so many worries associated with adopting why are there so many people who adopt? Because it's worth it!  There are currently more than 2 million kids in the United States who are adoptive children. There are a variety of blogs and articles that tell the story of adoptive parents who are incredibly happy with their children and vice versa. Parents and children wont hesitate to tell you that it isn't always easy but then again what in life is ever easy?

At A Family For Every Child we are here to provide support and information for families in all stages of the adoption process. To learn more about our services visit us at: http://www.afamilyforeverychild.org/

Foster Care & Congress

The Hill's Congress Blog released an article about the launch of the newly created Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. The caucus a bipartisan effort to protect the welfare of all foster children currently in the system and those who have "aged out." It is co-founded by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jim Mc Dermott (D-Wash.) was founded in 2011.

They explained that although there have been many improvements in the foster care system, many more need to be made. They will focus on developing policy recommendation's in five primary areas:

1. Safety
2. Permanency
3. Well Being 
4. Educational Opportunities 
5. Youth, Family and Community Engagement. 

The caucus decided their first order of business will be to investigate the possible over-prescription of psychotropic drugs among foster children. The caucus also sponsored a Listening Tour headed by Rep. Karen Bass and Tom Marino. The tour served as an opportunity for Representatives to hear from those who are currently or are alumni of the foster care system, in addition to getting a first hand view of how foster care advocate organizations are run.

This video by The Fostering Media Channel to learn a little more about the Listening Tour: 

Weather your a Democrat, Republican, Independent or really could care less about politics you have to admit it is great to see the government getting involved in improving the foster care system.

Foster Children Making A Difference

Raif, Mandy, and Micah are three young adults who aged out of the foster care system who are featured in the film; From Place to Place. The documentary follows the lives of those three as they try and change the foster care system. 

Their story brings to light the issues surrounding foster kids who age out of the system with out any help. The movie follow these youths throughout two years of their lives. In this time Micah is sentenced to three years in jail, Mandy gets her GED and goes to college, and Raif struggles to find love and happiness in his life.  

Mandy and Raif are also given an opportunity to make a difference by talking to members of The Senate Caucus of Foster Youth. They are able to tell their stories about the foster care system and what it's like to age out. After their time in D.C. they embark on journey across the country speaking about their experiences to people

In 2011 more than 27,000 children aged out of the system, when children age out of the system the majority of them are left with out any future support. These children are left vulnerable to many hardships in their adult life. Nationally 54 percent of these children graduate high school and an only 2 percent of kids will go on to receive a bachelors degree. An overwhelming 51 percent of aged-out kids are unemployed. In Oregon alone there were 255 children who aged out of the system in 2009.

These children are exposed to life with out any means of support and the statistics prove just how hard of a time they have. This is why Mandy and Raif's stories are so inspiring. They are amazing examples of foster care youth who are making a difference for foster children who age-out of the system.