I am 19 years old, married with two sons. I am surrounded by love and family. However it was not always like this for me.
I am a foster care alumni. I first went into care at 3 and exited for good at 18. When I was in care, I felt I had no one to depend on. I couldn’t even be certain I would stay in one house for more than a week.
I was also … Read More
The Ackerman Institute’s Center for the Developing Child and Family in New York has partnered with New York City Children’s Services to train foster parents and staff at mother-child residences, and is beginning trainings in Washington D.C. Here, Martha Edwards, the Center’s director, explains how staff and foster parents can support the mother-child bond:
After a baby is born, staff and foster parents sometimes look at moms struggling and find it easier to just take over. … Read More
When my oldest daughter was taken into foster care, I had to confess. I had to speak to people who thought the worst of me. I had to take responsibility for my actions even though I didn’t understand what I had done wrong.
What I’d done was encourage my young nieces, nephews, cousins and my boyfriend’s kids to experiment sexually during a game of Truth or Dare. Growing up, I was sexually abused so many times … Read More
This issue of Rise is dedicated to looking at why families of color have higher rates of investigations, higher rates of foster care placement, and longer stays in care than White families, even when White parents and parents of color are facing similar allegations.
Inequality isn’t just in child welfare. It’s in the rundown playgrounds in our neighborhoods, the supermarkets without fresh food, the liquor stores on every corner, and the schools and hospitals that are … Read More
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