foster
Foster care makes all the difference in the life of a young child that's been neglected or rescued from harm's way.
Forever Changed
Lost, broken, and confused sat a girl in her freshmen class at a private Catholic high school. She pondered on what had brought her to this point of taking her own life. Was it the girls who always made fun of her, because she was not good enough for society? Was it because she could not live up to her so-called father’s standards? Or was it something that had been nagging at her heart for the past five years? Something that tore her down every day and would never let her be herself.
Emily GracePublished 6 years ago in FamiliesIf a School LOST One CHILD Every Week...
Did you know ... In 2017 in Kansas alone, there are 79 foster CHILDREN that the news media discovered to be missing from Child Protective Services.
Marnie GrundmanPublished 6 years ago in Families- Top Story - March 2018
The Battle Between the 'Taken,' the 'Protected,' and the 'Lost'
As I have begun an intended and unintended journey, the road is paved with potholes, sinkholes and wet cement. I was a missing child, as a result of running away from an abusive home. I share my personal story to raise awareness; awareness that runaways are not belligerent children, we aren’t drug addicts, we aren’t rebellious—we are children who have been abused either physically, sexually, and/or mentally.
Marnie GrundmanPublished 6 years ago in Families Top 5 Ways to Support Foster Families
In the US, there are millions of children in foster care every year, and a vastly inadequate number of foster families. Understandably, not everyone can become a foster parent, but you may be wondering: isn't there still something I could do?
Coral HaywardPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesComing Face to Face With Me Part Two
There was a lot that has happened in those eight years that I was in foster care. The system that was meant to help people did not seem to help me that much. I think in my whole time within the system I was in four group homes and seven foster homes.
Lizz DeBowPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesFoster Parenting - Not for the Weak of Heart
It was about 14 years ago that I saw my first foster mom. She was in her late '60s, retired, and had a four-year-old and a six-month-old. The baby was adorable and the four-year-old was hell on wheels. She complained about the baby crying and would just stick a bottle in her mouth and move on, never checking her diaper, etc. I was shocked that she was just so callous with these kids.
Lynn JansenPublished 6 years ago in FamiliesWhy The Foster Care System Needs to Be Improved
When I was eight years old, my siblings and I entered the foster care system in Florida. Being in foster care, I saw and had to overcome the daily problems and flaws of this broken system, which is why I'm going to inform people about the issues that need to be changed. I will be providing information on who’s involved, the problems with the foster care system, the problems with the foster parents, and why there ultimately needs to be change.
@GabbyMiernikPublished 7 years ago in FamiliesComing Face to Face With Me
I still remember the day I met you. I was the bratty little sister of one of your friends. You were playing basketball at the fair grounds.My brother was so mad that mom made him bring me along. As I sit there watching you guys play while pretending to read my book, one of the two I brought with me. I finally started to get into one of them when you came up to me. Taking a seat next to me.“What are you reading?” taking a drink from your water bottle.I had no idea what to say, it was the first time you never talked to me. I just kept my head down. I didn’t even look up when you placed your thumb on the page I was reading to mark my place as you turned to read the title.“Out Stealing Horses,” you flipped the book back to the page I was on. “Sounds interesting.”We sat there for what seemed like forever. I wished that you would just leave, being around you made my head spin. The way you smelled made it so hard to catch my breath. I was so happy when my brother called you to come finish the game. You stood and winked as you ran off to rejoin the game. I knew that whatever just happened, was well I don’t know if you started hanging out with my brother more or I started noticing you more, but it was like every where I went you were there.My mind kept going to you sitting there in class, I would day dream about you. Thinking if you were thinking about me too. The age difference didn’t bother me at all. But back then I didn’t know you lied about that too.There were a lot of lies told. I still don’t know what I was to you. I think that is what bothers me the most. Was I just another mark? A score to settle with my foster family for not keeping you? There are so many questions I have and no one will give me the answers. That's another thing that bothers me, they say that they want to protect me from what is going to happen now. That I should not have to relive the nightmare. That’s not the case, every time I close my eyes I see you. I see all the good things that has happened between us. Even though there were more bad times than good, it's the good times that stay with me. It’s at night that the bad memories come.It has been six years since it has ended, and now I sit here wondering what is going on. From the next room, the only good thing that has happened between us is playing tea party with her stuffed animals. I know she hears me cry at night. She asks me why I am sad. I can’t tell her its because of you. She doesn’t know about you. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. It’s still to fresh in my mind to relive.But maybe it is time. To reach out to you at least. Maybe it will help me get over you and move on so I can start living again.
Lizz DeBowPublished 7 years ago in Families