If you have been following my blog, you will already know that my local DFCS moves at a snail's pace. So once we got approved, I wasn't expecting that they would call me with any kid profiles anytime soon. However bulldozing straight ahead, I decided to call them to make an inquiry. I know of a potential situation - a sibling group of 2 - boy and girl - that were placed with a family around Christmas and the placement disrupted. From what I know, it was not disrupted due to the children but due to the fact that the family rushed into things and our DFCS did not do their job properly. Basically, this was the model text book scenario of what NOT to do in an adoption but it happened anyway. I knew about this situation from early on and I pretty much called it...it was a train wreck waiting to happen....and unfortunately, it did.
I called DFCS about the kiddos on Thursday. My social worker/adoption coordinator appeared to know nothing about the status of theses kids although I know that she was involved with placing them with the family that disrupted. She stated that she would try to find the kid's SW and call me back later that afternoon or on Friday. She called me on Friday to tell me their SW taking a vacation day so she would not know anything until Tuesday as my SW does not work on Mondays! Whew! That was ok because at least now when I call DFCS, they jump to respond and set expectations on when I will hear back from them. Yeah, she isn't as friendly anymore but that is ok, I wasn't looking find a friend out of this as I'm more interested in finding my family. Yesterday afternoon, I sat here at my desk for at least 4 hour working and my cell phone never rang once. Well, last night I had a message and my SW had called at 4:40 p.m. (I feel pretty confident that I was having a cell phone glitch) to tell me she had some info on the kids. She left it at that so now I have to wait until Tuesday to find out about their status. For the first time, I wish that she wouldn't have called me because now my mind is running wild thinking about all the possibilities!
If the kids are available to be adopted or will be coming up for adoption soon, then I want to know why the only adoption coordinator in our county is not aware of same. I know one thing, DFCS better pray that I stay gainfully employed. If I didn't have a demanding full-time job to work, I would be all over their rear ends. I am taking notes and I will be naming names in the end. My goal is to call out everyone at DFCS that has let down these hundreds of helpless kids. There simply needs to be more accountability in the state foster system!
here's the thing you don't seem to understand or even want to consider, the United States social service teams are so understaffed and overworked that it is impossible for them to know 100 percent of the time, everything going on in 100 percent of the cases. Maybe its time for just a small amount of compassion. Yes our system is broken. Yet waging a war against weary soldiers who once were starry eyes with the prospect of helping the same kids you want to help...doesn't seem right. Team up with them, Be an ally, because even though you said you didn't want to make friends out of this, the best you can do for your kids is to be able to advocate effectively and passionately for them while maintaining a working and somtimes friendly relationship with their social workers who believe it or not are trying to do some good. Maybe since you seem to know so much about what is wrong you should consider a job change, and I do not say that in jest. I am being serious. Take that passion and put it to work. Some workers are better than others. Some are jaded, some are tired and weary, and some are just do not have time to get back to everyone who calls them because on a daily basis they can be expected to carry at least 10 if not closer to 30 active cases, meaning for 30 families they are scheduling court appointment, foster parent placements, safety commissions, family decision meeting, early intervention, family court, visits, family searches, meetings with the states attorney, attorney for the parents, attorney for the child, Casa workers, not to mention transporting with foster parents or adoptive parents are unwilling to transport for visits, dr, appoinments, mental health evaluations, sibling visits. Please try to have some compassion. Never stop fighting for your kids or potential kids, but stop feeling entitled to have your needs met immediatly by people who are expected to meet the needs of many. Its a triage system. Blessings to you as you navigate through the state system. It is hard to put it lightly. I am praying that you will seek Godly wisdom as you proceed.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cakidsconnection.com/ViewChild.php?ChildID=497076 3 cute kids from Ca. that tneed a home.
ReplyDeleteAngela,
ReplyDeleteI am not trying to start a debate on Shana's blog but I must reply to your comment. You were very gracious and kind and I hope you take my comments as the same.
I have heard that same line-overworked and understaffed for literally years. It is over used and an excuse for a bad work ethic,IMO.
I do see that we (adoptive parents) can get a bit over zealous in wanting our calls answered "right now." We want answers for our questions "right now."
BUT, how about workers following their own policy? How about workers not even knowing what their policy's are?? How about workers who NEVER return a phone call or an email? How about workers who don't know what children are available for adoption in their own area? How about one state's photolisting that is so outdated that the children listed have aged out of care? How about DHS directors who don't do anything but move bad social workers to different positions instead of firing them?
If big businesses were run like DHS, they would fail quickly and go belly up. DHS just meanders along, not doing the job that they were put in place to do, wreaking havoc in the lives of the children who wait.
You may think by this post that I am a "scorned" adoptive mom. Quite the contrary...I found one good worker who believed in us, believed that kids need homes and actually did the job that he was hired to do, and placed children. He is a rare DHS employee and I wish that more of them would learn from him.
I hope and pray that Shana and all of the other waiting parents find children. More importantly I hope and pray that waiting children find their forever families.