January 30, 2003

Innocence damaged...

This week in Chicago, several very disturbing instances of abuse of children have been reported.  These are mostly foster children and the level of abuse ranges from chaining a 3-year old to a bed post (in a drug infested house) to having 6 children locked in a basement with no heat, food or water. 

As everyone that hears or reads about this, I'm appalled.  But more than I'm appalled that this could happen, I'm furious that the children were in those homes in the first place.  Who monitors this? 

DCFS (Chicago's Department of Children & Family Services) is equally appalled.  They don't understand how this could have happened.  They can't explain how these foster families got & kept their licenses.  They realize that grave mistakes were made and they don't have any answers, except to say that an investigation is imminent.  

It seems that there are too many children that require foster care and not enough caring, kind families willing to help them.  Reporters are finding that many foster families {not all} do it simply for the income, and not to help nurture the children.  I read an article about the 3 year old boy, where the caseworker visited the home on Dec 2, just a mere month before he was found.  The caseworker noted that the child seemed happy although she did notice that the foster mother appeared to not know the child very well.  Her observations of the child's personality differed greatly than that of the foster mother, yet nothing was done to further investigate.   

I'm sure the caseworkers at DCFS are understaffed, overworked and underpaid.  I understand that they simply don't have the time or manpower to police every single foster family daily.  However, there are innocent lives at stake.  Someone has to do something.

If the FBI and Chicago Police didn't raid that house that day, there is no telling what more that 3 year old boy would have had to endure.  It's terrifying to imagine what the poor baby has already gone thru that we don't know about.  

When I adopted almost 8 years ago, the paperwork I went thru was immense!  I had to prove I was capable of caring for her.  I had to show documentation that I could afford to feed her and provide medical & dental services.  I had to bring proof that I owned my own home and they even phoned the other members of the house at that time to make certain they were comfortable with the adoption.  I was scrutinized and judged.  For almost 1 year after the adoption I received phone calls following up, making sure all was well.  This was for my dog Sami.  

Who selects these people to become foster families?  Who reviews them?  How often?  Weekly, monthly, yearly? Are there surprise visits? How much do they receive financially and is the money spent on the children?  Who makes certain that the money does indeed go towards those kids? 

Perhaps the kind, concerned folks over at the Chicago Anti-Cruelty can give some pointers to DCFS. 

Perhaps Chicago needs to reassess their financial responsibility to the children in foster care.  Perhaps Mayor Daley needs to become more involved and possibly contact some of his connections.  Maybe the amount of money he spends on flowers for the middle of Irving Park & Ashland Avenues can go to the kids. I'll forgo seeing pretty daffodils if it means I know that those foster kids are sleeping in safe houses. 

I would love to help those kids, but unfortunately because I am a single, working woman, I simply couldn't do it now.  However, if someday I am married and a stay-at-home mom - or - I win the lottery and never have to work again, I would strongly consider becoming a foster mother.  I honestly believe that I could make a difference, even if for a little while. I know  I could give those kids love and support and I can guarantee they'd never be mistreated.   

I'm not a mother yet.  I'm just an aunt and of course, have many friends with children that I'm close to. The other night my  4 year-old  nephew E was jumping around and playing after a family dinner. I laughed as I watched him, amazed at his endless energy.  He jumped into my lap.  He hugged me and told me he loved me.  I told him I loved him too and asked where I could get some of his energy.  He squeezed my neck and said "Here Aunt K, I'll give you some of mine", he said, as he showered my cheeks with kisses. 

How could anyone hurt a child?

How and why should we, as a society, protect anyone that does?

Human life is precious, except if that life hurts a baby.  Then that life isn't worth anything.

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