Foster Care Support Group
Foster care is a system by which a certified, stand-in parent(s) cares for minor children or young peoples who have been removed from their birth parents or other custodial adults by state authority. Responsibility for the young person is assumed by the relevant governmental authority and a placement with another family found.
So here is a quick background of our foster to adopt experience. Almost a year ago to boys, 7 and 5, where placed with us. This was our first placement, roughly 3 months after we went thru training. After about 6 months with us the older boy was removed do to his aggressive behavior towards his little brother. The physical and verbal abuse had gotten extreme. We fully plan on adopting the 5 year old, Squiggy, if they ever actually have the trial. Now onto my venting, complaining and begging for help.
We have had the TPR case rescheduled three times. It will have been more than 6 months from the first one until the next. The bio dad has never been involved in Squiggy's life and his mother hasn't done a single thing since he has been with us. There has been zero visitations, zero effort and a 4 month prison sentence for her. The judge is ready to terminate but every time the mother's attorney ask for an extension the DCFS attorneys grant it. The judge was so livid last time that she told everyone there would not be another extension granted. Bio mom hasn't even shown up to court, they don't know where she is since her release from prison and this is Squiggy's 3rd time in care. I don't understand why DCFS keeps prolonging this. The judge wants it done, Squiggy's attorney wants it done, the CASA worker wants it done and yet for some reason, DCFS keeps dragging it out.
Speaking of DCFS, has anyone here ever felt like they fight against you more than support you? It's bad enough that they have a revolving door of workers, they also mistreat the foster parents that try to help and then wonder why they keep losing foster parents. It seems like we have to constantly fight DCFS to get things done to benefit Squiggy. All we want is what's best for our foster child, shouldn't they want the same thing? I don't know about anyone elses experience but this has soured our experience big time.
We have had the TPR case rescheduled three times. It will have been more than 6 months from the first one until the next. The bio dad has never been involved in Squiggy's life and his mother hasn't done a single thing since he has been with us. There has been zero visitations, zero effort and a 4 month prison sentence for her. The judge is ready to terminate but every time the mother's attorney ask for an extension the DCFS attorneys grant it. The judge was so livid last time that she told everyone there would not be another extension granted. Bio mom hasn't even shown up to court, they don't know where she is since her release from prison and this is Squiggy's 3rd time in care. I don't understand why DCFS keeps prolonging this. The judge wants it done, Squiggy's attorney wants it done, the CASA worker wants it done and yet for some reason, DCFS keeps dragging it out.
Speaking of DCFS, has anyone here ever felt like they fight against you more than support you? It's bad enough that they have a revolving door of workers, they also mistreat the foster parents that try to help and then wonder why they keep losing foster parents. It seems like we have to constantly fight DCFS to get things done to benefit Squiggy. All we want is what's best for our foster child, shouldn't they want the same thing? I don't know about anyone elses experience but this has soured our experience big time.
the baby's attorney wasn't happy. We were downright irritated, but the caseworker thinks this is completely fine. You're absolutely right, some days it feels like they caseworker just wants the kid to go home so she can get his case off her desk.