SPECIAL: ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE
It’s Not Too Late C
Whatever the reason, some teens find themselves in the foster care system as they approach adulthood. Despite their age, however, the need for family ties remains, as countless wait to find their families.
Reporting by Lynne Meyer
hildren can end up in foster care for many reasons, most oſten due to some kind of dysfunction affecting their family or themselves. It can be drug or alcohol abuse, neglect, spousal abuse, unemploy- ment, physical or mental illness. Whatever the reason, the home
environment is deemed unsafe for the child. Government agencies serving children and families provide support and
protection for children in these and other negative situations. Teir first priority is to identify a safe relative with whom the child can stay. “We have a mandated goal regarding the children in our care,” says Gene
Tetrick, supervisor of foster care and adoption with the Lake County Depart- ment of Jobs and Family Services. “We have to work, for the first year to year and a half, to get them back with their birth parents, if the home situation has improved.” During that time, a child may remain with a relative, if one is available and able to care for the child. When no relative is avail- able, however, an agency will try to place the child in a foster home. Potential foster parents are carefully screened by child and
family service agencies. According to Jacqueline McCray, deputy director, Cuyahoga County Depart- ment of Children and Family Services, a foster parent must be at least 21 years old, have sufficient income to meet their own basic needs and be in good physi- cal, emotional and mental health. “Tey need to be nurturing, flexible
and patient,” she says. “Te individual can be single or part of a couple who have a stable relationship for at least a year.” Tere are three steps to become a fos-
ter parent. “Tey must complete a mandatory 36 hours of training that we provide in a series of on-site classes,” says John Saros, executive director, Summit County Children Services. “Once that’s completed, there’s the as-
sessment phase. We go to the indi- vidual’s home and look everything over, interviewing other family members. We want to make sure it’s a suitable environment and they will do a good job of caring for the youngster. We also check the house for safety and cleanliness and identify the family’s preference, in terms of gender, age and any behavioral issues, for a foster child.”
22 FAMILY MAGAZINE
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