Foster Parents Speak Out About Broken System

Foster Parents Speak Out About Broken System

Overcrowded conditions at Child Haven have county officials stepping
up recruitment efforts for more foster families. But that plea
has some current foster parents angry because they've been waiting
more than a year for a child to be placed in their home.

Eyewitness News has protected their identity -- for fear of
retribution for speaking out -- so they could share their views on the
foster
care crisis.

Foster parent: "Everything that we are reading in the paper and seeing
in the media is not black and white. We are a broken system."

These foster parents feel betrayed by a system that is supposed to
bring families together. They all have licenses to foster children,
so they don't understand why they haven't been contacted by the county
about possible placement considering child haven is
overflowing.

Foster parent: "They are full of crap. They are full of crap. There
are so many people. I could find probably find a dozen homes for
children in the snap of my finger already licensed."

Their experience has taught them it's all a game of caseworkers and
supervisors playing favorites.

Foster parent: "You're punished constantly. If you speak up to the
wrong worker, they'll just by word of mouth. You won't get kids."

Foster parent: "There are a selected few that they are picking and
they are not picking the one's that can really help and really want
to help."

These foster parents, or potential foster parents, say their calls to
the county constantly go unanswered. Their concerns and
questions are buried in a system that seems riddled with red tape.

Foster parent: "Clean house. Get rid of the slack. Get rid of the
duplication of efforts. I've filled out the same paperwork probably 17
times."

Despite their frustrations, these foster parents say they won't give
up because they believe someone needs to fight for the rights of
these young children.

Foster parent: "I could love another one and there are kids out there
that are looking for love. Sometimes social services doesn't
look at the love that a child needs. And that's what keeps I think
most of us in here. Because we do care and we do want it to happen."

The foster parents Eyewitness News spoke with say another problem with
the process is that there are too many licensing
categories, which often limits where children can be placed
temporarily or permanently.
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