Statement in Court

Foster Parent Court Hearing Statement in Regards to:

“Kiddo A”

All names in the statement have been replaced for privacy purposes

Statement:

As A’s Foster Parents for the past 4-months, we have had the opportunity to see her thrive and grow in so many ways. During this time, we have also developed a very good relationship with Bio-Mom and Bio-Dad, one that consists of open communication, both in person as we provide transport to visits, as well as through e-mails and texts.  We are very proud of Bio-Mom’s ability over the past 4-months to attend all scheduled, supervised visits, as well as a doctor’s appointment for A that we invited her to, and several swimming lessons that we enrolled A in. We are also proud of their success with sobriety. There is no doubt in our mind that Bio-Mom and Bio-Dad love A deeply, and we have no concerns about the safety of A while in Bio-Mom’s care. We believe reunification is the correct plan for Bio-Mom and A.

“Fighting” DHS in Court

Today, we went to court to advocate on behalf of our Foster Daughter.  It is not required for Foster Parents to attend court hearings, but as the guardian of the child for which the court hearing is about, you do receive notices in the mail.  We never take the children to court, unless there is a request for them to be there.  In our opinion, there is no point for a child to see their parents in such an awkward and vulnerable position, and for children to learn the extents of the issues associated with their case and their parents.

We have always attended the court hearings for our kiddos. The hearing is the best opportunity to gain the most information regarding the status of the case, as well as receive an accurate account of the progress being made by the parents, and the recommended plan moving forward. Typically, we sit there awkwardly and uncomfortably in the back of the tiny courtroom and listen to what is being discussed. This time was different. This time, we came with a purpose. This time, we had a prepared statement, and we were terrified.

We Know You Mean Well But…

Jewell and I consider ourselves extroverted introverts.  We enjoy our privacy, the company of each other, and gatherings of our close friends. Both of us are easily intimidated by large social gatherings, “Parties” is what I think the cool kids call them, but we often force ourselves to go, so we can see our friends and acquaintances.  Being a Foster Parent has proven to be a great conversation piece at said social gatherings, one that many people have a lot of questions about, and that we are happy to answer. When it comes to being a Foster Parent, we do not evangelize. We understand that it is not for everyone, it is a personal or family decision, and the last thing we would want is for someone to be pressured into being a foster parent when it is not right for them, that is not fair to the kids or the person/family.  That being said, we try to be an open book and answer questions that people have for us, because prior to us becoming Foster Parents, we had a lot of questions too, and nobody to really answer them.

Acronyms and Definitions

In most government agencies and specialized fields, acronyms are widely used, and industry specific definitions apply to many words. We will do our best to keep this page updated with frequently used acronyms, terms, and strange definitions.