‘What Can I Do?’
Parent advocates at foster care agencies are there to help you.
By JACQUELINE ISRAEL
As a parent advocate at Graham-Windham, I’m a support for the parents here. When they come in, I tell them, “I am a parent. My children were in care. I’m here to make sure your case is moving forward for you and your family. What can I do to help you?”
I’m a mediator between the family, caseworkers and foster parents. A parent might call and say, “I haven’t gotten visits for a month.” Then I would go to the caseworker and say, “I love you as a co-worker, but this parent needs these visits. Why is she not getting them?”
It may be that the foster mother says she’s not able to bring the child. I say to the caseworker, “Have you explained to the foster mother that that’s her job? Once every two weeks is not a lot.”
It could be the opposite. Sometimes a caseworker tells me that a parent is always late for the visits. I tell the parents, “It’s disrespectful that you’re not on time, and they’re not going to see you as being responsible.”
In staff meetings, I remind caseworkers to think of the biological parents. I say, “What about the family? Have you asked the parents their views? Have you invited them in for that talk?”
I also help parents advocate for themselves. I explain the steps in an ACS case, and the point of each meeting. I tell them who they can bring to each meeting, and what their rights are.
I explain the chain of command so they know how to make their voices heard. And I tell them to write everything down. Many times parents say, “I spoke to so and so,” but they have no proof. I tell them to put their complaint in a letter, send a copy, and save a copy for themselves. What’s written on paper has more power, and you can show the judge, “I did write and ask for this.”
Parents have to do their own advocacy. I can show them how, but if they don’t come and knock on the caseworker’s door, I can’t do it for them.
Correction: An interview in the Summer 2005 issue of Rise misstated the number of years the Jacqueline Israel’s children were in foster care. They were actually in care about 2-3 years.
