Should siblings be kept together in foster care?

Should siblings be kept together in foster care?

That is the conversation Massachusetts lawmakers are having as they consider a bill that would require the state Department of Children and Families to prioritize sibling unity.

More >> Should siblings be kept together in foster care?

Siblings separated while in foster care had a chance to spend time together this past week.

68 children participated in St. Jude's Camp to Belong.

More >> Siblings separated by foster care spend time together thanks to St. Jude's

‘We had to stay together' say teenage sisters in foster care

“When they told us we were going into care, they said we were going to have to be split up because nobody was able to take two teenage girls together, but I just told them there was no way that could happen, we had to stay together,” says younger sister Amber.

More >> ‘We had to stay together' say teenage sisters in foster care

Former foster youth make themselves heard for “sibling bill of rights,” drivers license bill

The longer Davion Bugarin talked, his tears turning into gasping sobs, the more lawmakers began to cry. Someone found a box of tissues so the legislators on the House human services committee could wipe their eyes while Bugarin explained how he lost his sisters in foster care.

More >> Former foster youth make themselves heard for “sibling bill of rights,” drivers license bill

'I want visitation:' Siblings separated after mother's death fight to stay together

High school seniors are supposed to worry about prom, graduation, and college plans during their last year in high school.

But for 17-year-old Angelique Orta, there is no time for high school planning because she's trying to keep her six siblings together.

More >> 'I want visitation:' Siblings separated after mother's death fight to stay together

FOSTER CARE SIBLINGS “BILL OF RIGHTS” LAW COMING TO MINNESOTA

As part of the ongoing effort at the state capitol to reform Minnesota's foster care system, two state politicians sponsored a "bill of rights" for siblings in foster care.

Representative Ron Kresha of Little Falls and Senator Jerry Relph are the co-sponsors of the bill. The bill establishes a set of rights for foster care children, including the right to be placed with their siblings when possible, and/or to visit them, or to stay in contact.

More >> FOSTER CARE SIBLINGS “BILL OF RIGHTS” LAW COMING TO MINNESOTA

FOSTER KIDS REUNITE WITH SIBLINGS AT CAMP TO BELONG

Last week, children and teens who live apart from their brothers and sisters were reunited with their siblings at Camp to Belong. Now in its 10th year in Washington state, the camp took place June 25-30 at Miracle Ranch in Port Orchard and is hosted by the Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) Children’s Administration in partnership with Foster Family Connections and Camp to Belong WA.

Most of the roughly 100 campers, who travel to Kitsap County for a weeklong opportunity to make lifelong memories, are currently or have been in foster care. They live in Washington, with a few traveling in from out of state, and they all live apart from their siblings. About half the campers have previously attended Camp to Belong WA and will serve as mentors to those kids who are first-time attendees.

More >> FOSTER KIDS REUNITE WITH SIBLINGS AT CAMP TO BELONG

Sibling trio all live at different foster homes, but want to be together again

Aaliyah, Christopher and Patrick all live apart right now, but they are adamant about finding one place to call home.

Patrick, Chris and Aaliyah share similar interests, but their personalities are quite different.

More >> Sibling trio all live at different foster homes, but want to be together again

How Foster Care Can Split Up Siblings — And Result In Very Different Lives For Them

In the middle of the night, next to garbage cans overflowing with liquor and beer bottles, my sister and I sat alone in “time-out.” I was five; Ashley, whose name has been changed for this story, was eight. It wasn’t our first time being left alone, so I trusted Ashley to protect me like she always did, and fell asleep. But my big sister couldn’t remove the fear that struck when I was told they were taking us away from our home. Flashing cop lights illuminated the room as our clothes and toys were stuffed into garbage bags. We entered the foster care system.


More >> How Foster Care Can Split Up Siblings — And Result In Very Different Lives For Them

State chief justice scolds DHHS over disputed adoption

ROCKLAND — The chief justice of the state's highest court has criticized the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for its handling of the adoption of a Knox County child.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled Tuesday, Jan. 30, in a disputed case of competing families wanting to adopt a 2-year-old girl.

More >> State chief justice scolds DHHS over disputed adoption

Emotional moment after woman finds birth family decades later

DALLAS — Janel dropped her bag as she walked towards her brother at the airport. It was the first time she was seeing a family member that was biologically related to her.

The brother and sister are now in their forties.

Four decades of questions and unsaid words. Four decades of catching up and hugging to do.

More >> Emotional moment after woman finds birth family decades later

Siblings can be separated during adoption

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Siblings abandoned by their family will be separated from each other at the time of adoption if they are above five years old and agree to it, Union minister Maneka Gandhi said today.

More >> Siblings can be separated during adoption: Maneka Gandhi

Foster parent shortage in Scotland leads to one in five sibling groups being split up

A report published by the Care Inspectorate, Scotland’s social care watchdog, revealed that three in four councils reported instances where the number of children requiring a foster care placement was greater than the placements available.

More >> Foster parent shortage in Scotland leads to one in five sibling groups being split up

Note: That and the fact that they're stealing too many kids.

Report says 20% of siblings taken into care are split up

Almost 20% of sibling groups taken into care were split up because of a difficulty in finding suitable placements, a report has said.

The Care Inspectorate report said more high quality fostering and adoption places were needed.

Almost 60% of local authorities had difficulties placing sibling groups.

More >> Report says 20% of siblings taken into care are split up

Siblings reunited after years of searching

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Admittedly, the search for her siblings had slowed somewhat. Twenty-three years before, Brandie Ramey’s family had been ripped apart, the children shuffled off into foster care and then adopted into different homes.

More >> Siblings reunited after years of searching

LK Report for 8/14/17 - Poor CPS, Overworked and Underfunded. Waaaaaa! Boo hoo...

Here are today's headlines.  

Check back later.  You never know when I might update this post.

http://www.LegallyKidnapped.com

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WENTWORTH — A Reidsville man who allegedly shot into the car of a Rockingham County social worker has filed a $23 million federal lawsuit against Sheriff Sam Page, the sheriff’s department and department of social services.

Neal alleged in the complaint that his children were unlawfully placed with the foster care system and that law enforcement entered his home without a search warrant or proper documentation, causing mental and emotional distress. 

He is seeking $14 million for violation of his and his children’s constitutional rights. He is also asking for $5 million in punitive damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress and $4 million for the mental and emotional damages caused in their removal from their home.  

More >> Reidsville man charged with shooting at social worker files lawsuit against Sheriff Page
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Note: Waaaaa!

TAMPA — If Florida's overburdened child welfare system has an epicenter, it's Hillsborough County.

An average of 3,600 children were in foster care in the county during 2016, the most in Florida. Hillsborough also has among the highest number of child abuse investigations and removal rates.

More >> Hillsborough loses big as state fails to divide child welfare money by need
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BATON ROUGE - Auditors examining the Department of Children and Family Services’ oversight of its Foster Care Program found that the Department struggles with high caseloads and staff turnover, which affects employees’ ability to ensure the safety and well-being of children in foster care, the Legislative Auditor said in a report released today. In addition, auditors found that the Department did not ensure required background checks were performed for prospective foster care providers and that some foster care providers had previous valid cases of abuse or neglect.

More >> Report: DCFS high caseloads hamper ability to operate foster care program

• High turnover, caseloads in Louisiana foster care program

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Australia - Priests who fail to tell police about suspected child sexual abuse should face criminal charges, even when they learn of abuse during a confidential religious confession, Australia's most powerful investigative authority recommended on Monday.

More >> Australian inquiry: Priests should report abuse confessions
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ROYAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS: Making failure to report child sexual abuse in institutions a criminal offence.

More >> Abuse inquiry's failure to report offence

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Oklahoma - A thief wiped out a warehouse full of donations for foster children. Luggage With Love, a nonprofit, had just put in a warehouse in Pottawatomie County to serve even more kids.

More >> Burglar Steals $4,000 Worth Of Donations For Oklahoma Foster Children
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NEWPORT, RI—A story about abuse and exploitation of children inside Rhode Island group homes included a recent incident at a home for girls on Girard Avenue. According to the Providence Journal, an employee allegedly enticed two 15-year-old girls to go outside and fight. When they did, a female arrived and assaulted them, as the employee had pre-arranged. He since has quit his job with Child and Family Services. The girls suffered minor injuries, and police are investigating, the Journal said.

More >> Newport Group Home Employee Arranged Fight, Assault On Two 15-Year-Old Girls
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SACRAMENTO — State officials have ordered Sacramento County to shut down its foster care intake office by the end of next month, calling for an end to an illegal operation where abused and neglected children are poorly supervised, sleep on the floor, and are often preyed upon by human traffickers.

More >> State orders troubled Sacramento foster care office to close

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RACINE — The grandmother of the 3-year-old Racine boy shot to death last month is pleading with the county to return his two young brothers to her after removing them from her home last week.

More >> Grandmother fights to keep brothers of shot 3-year-old together
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Centralia’s Kiwanis Vocational Home, open from 1979 to 1994, was intended to be a safe place for wayward boys, a state-licensed foster home where 11- to 17-year-olds could get an education and job skills in a “family atmosphere,” according to a 1986 Chronicle article.

More >> Sexual Abuse, Fraud and Negligence Alleged at Closed Centralia Home for Boys

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NSW - A foster carer admitted pulling an eight-year-old boy's hair, tying his hands with a skipping rope, then strapping him to a pole while he was "squealing like a pig".

More >> Foster carer banned for tying up boy with skipping rope while he squealed 'like a pig'

Local foster care children reunite with siblings

It was a day of reunions at Cowabunga Bay as dozens of foster care children were reunited with their brothers and sisters, through a sibling preservation program.

More >> Local foster care children reunite with siblings

Oregon Legislature Considering Foster Children’s ‘Sibling Bill Of Rights’

The Oregon legislature is considering a bill, Oregon House Bill 2216 (HB 2216), that would create a foster children’s “Sibling Bill of Rights.” The goal is to focus state efforts on supporting and maintaining relationships among siblings placed in foster care. The legislation was introduced on January 9, 2017, and was passed by the House on March 16, 2017.

More >> Oregon Legislature Considering Foster Children’s ‘Sibling Bill Of Rights’

Nebraska legislators hear testimony on bill aimed at keeping siblings in foster care together

At age 3, Bridget Christensen and David Lathrop’s adopted son had one wish for Santa Claus.

More >> Nebraska legislators hear testimony on bill aimed at keeping siblings in foster care together

Midlands children in foster care can go months without seeing their siblings or birth families

A REPORT INTO foster care in the Midlands region has found significant failures to reach appropriate standards.

More >> Midlands children in foster care can go months without seeing their siblings or birth families