Adopting a Foster Child: The Child's View
Have you ever thought about what it would be like not to have a family? To be a child growing up in foster care, moving from home to home, hoping for a family that will take you in and make you a permanent part of their lives?
Right now, for half a million foster children, the idea of a real family is just a dream – either a nightmare of past abuse and neglect, or a hopeful vision for the future. For some of those children, the waiting will never end; they will spend their whole childhood in foster care, and leave at age 18 – on their own. Others will be adopted; thousands more will spend years waiting to see which group they belong to.
On this episode of Keeping Kids Healthy, enter the lives of four of these children: one who “aged out” at 18, one who was adopted at 16, and two whose young lives still hang in the balance. And hear the moving perspective of a grown-up foster child, who never experienced the joy of adoption, and who is doing all he can to help others experience it.
Guests:
Shane Salter - Counselor to Foster Children, and Former Foster Child; Executive Director of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) of Washington, DC
Eprise Armstrong, Age 19, Former Foster Child
Dominick Freeman, Age 18, Former Foster Child
Richard Freeman, Dominick’s Adoptive Father
Chanay, Age 15, Foster Child
Hamid, Age 9, Foster Child
Francis Simmons, Eprise’s Mentor
Sharde Armstrong, Eprise’s Sister
Pat O’Brien, Adoption Counselor
Tips:
The single most important element in the life of a successful foster child is the presence of a person who establishes a bond with them, cares about them, and offers guidance.
Resources:
NJ Adopt
The Division of Youth and Family Services of New Jersey
http://www.njadopt.org/
800-99ADOPTAdoptUSKids
A Project of The Children’s Bureau, Federal Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.adoptuskids.org/
888-200-4005The National CASA Association (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children))
http://www.nationalcasa.org/
800-628-3233
