Foster care system needs improvement
The allegations in a new lawsuit about poor conditions in Nebraska’s foster care system have a sad basis in truth.
Those problems have been brought to light repeatedly in recent years, including major investigative projects by the state’s two biggest newspapers.
Improvement has been made, but the state is still falling short in many areas. The workload in the child welfare system is immense. There are more than 6,000 children in state care. Caseworkers must juggle the futures of too many children at one time, making life-and-death decisions under enormous pressure.
The deficiencies listed in the lawsuit filed by Children’s Rights are familiar. There’s a shortage of foster homes. Too often children do not receive a placement suitable for their needs. Pay for foster children in Nebraska is $8 a day, the lowest rate in the nation, according to the lawsuit.
Children are bounced from one foster home to another without finding appropriate services, let alone stability. As of December 2003, 53 percent of foster children had experienced four or more placements.
A good foster care system can produce amazing results, helping children find their way in lives that have been filled with chaos and worse. A story on Page 2H of the Hometown section of the Sunday Journal Star recounted one of those success stories.
At age 9, Olivia Call and her siblings were taken from their parents because of neglect. Since then the Fairbury teen has lived in four foster homes and two temporary placements.
Finally she found a foster family with whom she could bond. Admittedly, the relationship is not always sweetness and light. Like many teens, she butts heads with her parents. But the bond is enduring and nurturing.
Today Olivia carries a 3.91 grade average, on a 4.0 scale, while participating in extracurricular activities including a starting position in volleyball. She’s taken four dual-credit college courses already, and is considering a college major in elementary education.
Nebraska needs more success stories such as Olivia’s. Although some aspects of the child welfare system have been upgraded with the hiring of more than 100 additional caseworkers, other parts of the system still need more improvement.
The real test for the lawsuit filed by Children’s Rights will be whether it diverts resources and attention from helping children to a protracted legal battle. If the focus stays on helping children find the same success that Olivia has, the lawsuit might provide the leverage policy makers need to do the right thing.
Those problems have been brought to light repeatedly in recent years, including major investigative projects by the state’s two biggest newspapers.
Improvement has been made, but the state is still falling short in many areas. The workload in the child welfare system is immense. There are more than 6,000 children in state care. Caseworkers must juggle the futures of too many children at one time, making life-and-death decisions under enormous pressure.
The deficiencies listed in the lawsuit filed by Children’s Rights are familiar. There’s a shortage of foster homes. Too often children do not receive a placement suitable for their needs. Pay for foster children in Nebraska is $8 a day, the lowest rate in the nation, according to the lawsuit.
Children are bounced from one foster home to another without finding appropriate services, let alone stability. As of December 2003, 53 percent of foster children had experienced four or more placements.
A good foster care system can produce amazing results, helping children find their way in lives that have been filled with chaos and worse. A story on Page 2H of the Hometown section of the Sunday Journal Star recounted one of those success stories.
At age 9, Olivia Call and her siblings were taken from their parents because of neglect. Since then the Fairbury teen has lived in four foster homes and two temporary placements.
Finally she found a foster family with whom she could bond. Admittedly, the relationship is not always sweetness and light. Like many teens, she butts heads with her parents. But the bond is enduring and nurturing.
Today Olivia carries a 3.91 grade average, on a 4.0 scale, while participating in extracurricular activities including a starting position in volleyball. She’s taken four dual-credit college courses already, and is considering a college major in elementary education.
Nebraska needs more success stories such as Olivia’s. Although some aspects of the child welfare system have been upgraded with the hiring of more than 100 additional caseworkers, other parts of the system still need more improvement.
The real test for the lawsuit filed by Children’s Rights will be whether it diverts resources and attention from helping children to a protracted legal battle. If the focus stays on helping children find the same success that Olivia has, the lawsuit might provide the leverage policy makers need to do the right thing.
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