NO ABSOLUTES IN FOSTER CARE DEBATE
My gratitude for the attention and support that the Ohio foster care situation is receiving is mixed with a deep level of concern that some would-be advocates, such as Richard Wexler, seem biased in favor of returning a child to his/her family, in any and all situations.
As a former foster child and current advocate for people in and from foster care, I am troubled by ultimatums when individual situations can be so diverse. It troubles me to hear that foster youth should "always" be placed back with their biological families. Or that custody should "never" be severed.
This type of extremism is dangerous. It can lead to child deaths, the perpetuation of sexual abuse and other horrors.
There is no magical formula for families that break down. Sometimes biological parents are willing and able to change. Sometimes not. Sometimes children who are forced to stay with abusive parents die or are forever scarred (physically or emotionally) by their parents' actions.
What is needed is a balanced approach, with the bottom line being the physical safety of the child and their long-term emotional well-being.
Professionals should start by listening to the young people themselves, as well as eliciting feedback from former foster children who have not only experienced foster care firsthand, but have had time to process their experiences and make sense of them.
I hold firmly to the credo of Foster Care Alumni of America: “Our experience is our expertise.”
-Lisa Dickson, Ohio
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment