I am becoming more and more aware of cases where young children in foster care are not being appropriately considered in placement. Too many times, with little to no consideration to what is best for the children, they are returned to biological parents who have demonstrated poor choices in every aspect of their lives with little to no evidence of any improvement in those judgment skills. In our state, many cases have come to light recently where biological parents proved in fatality causing behaviors to not have instincts to protect and care for their own children.
Not only are many judges prone to favor reunification of the family, but our own state laws lean in that direction. Here are some cases I have been personally aware of in the last several years.
In cases where divorces occurred due to dangerous and/or inappropriate behaviors, one little girl at the age of 3 described "games" her daddy made her play with him. The courts felt she didn't know what she was talking about (how could she have made up this detailed stuff???) and ruled he should continue to have unsupervised and overnight visits after the divorce. In another case, the father had been hospitalized for mental illness with a history of alcohol abuse. Psychologists testified that he should not have unsupervised visits, but his little girl is grown now and can remember being left in a truck, locked in the parking lot of bars late at night. Not only that, but he was known to always keep a loaded gun in that truck.
More recently, there have been a couple of acquaintance situations involving unmarried parents with severe drug related problems that often landed them with rotating sentences in and out of jail. In one case the out of state aunt and uncle had custody of the 1 and 4 year old while both parents were in jail. After they were out, the kids went back immediately and inspite of social workers reporting drug paraphenalia out in view in the home, the foster aunt and uncle could not get them back. (Crossing state lines complicates things further) The odd ending to that story is that the kids' father was killed in a car accident while under the influence, and the mother moved back to where her sister and family (the foster aunt and uncle) live and cleaned up her act after moving in with them for a while and getting a job. She sites being away from the influence of the people she was "friends" with as being the key for breaking that cycle.
In a current case, the unmarried parents are no longer together and the mother is having her 8th baby out of wedlock while having a drug problem. Two year old twins have been with a foster family since birth and have bonded with not only the parents but extended family and friends. The father, who has a drug history, no job, and living with friends in a tiny trailer has recently emerged and wants the kids now. This judge is said to have a hisory of always favoring biological parents. Letters have been written requesting consideration be given to the needs of the children (rather than biological or foster parents) and what the possible ramifications of this change at this time in their life would have on them long term. Concerns mentioned to the judge also include the need (if there is unification) for the state to educate, support, and supervise these parents as they deal with what is sure to be a difficult transition for the kids as well as long term costs into the next generation and beyond if the kids are not properly guided and do not become productive members of society. (It doens't hurt to point out possible future costs to the state) This judge apparently is reviewing the case again as a result and has instructed supervision to focus specifically on the level of bonding between this newly appeared father and the foster parents. I respect him for this reconsideration.
Please keep this current case and the thousands of other unnamed children going through this situation in your thoughts and prayers. Seriously consider writing letters to state legislators and judges. Check for ways you can help with local agencies that provide support as court appointed special advocates (CASA) or other ways to support and fight for these children. We need to show Christ's heart by being His eys, ears, hands, and feet.
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Definitely an important issue to think about. There will be times where the parent has truly turned things around and is the best guardian for the child...and times where it is the worst situation for the child's well-being. Prayers should be that the courts look at each case individually and truly evaluate and seek guidance about the case and the children at hand. Unfortunately politics and time can often hamper these efforts I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI'd hate to think there would be a parent who has, say, found Jesus and worked to a stable life and wishes to provide for their child, who would be denied their own child because of assumptions. And on the other hand, it's scary to think that innocent kids are put into the hands of unstable and dangerous people simply because of a biological connection.
You cannot know what is best without fully examining each individual situation, and hopefully it won't take more death and abuse in the hands of both foster parents and biological parents before courts see that need, too.