Hearing the Cries of Children, Foster Care, Addicted Babes, and Many Others on a Crisis Text Line..Can More Folks Please Help Out?

Every state has a large number of kids needing care, some with more special needs than others. Many needing foster care or adoption. Some families are pulling together, but after more downs than ups (if one or both parents are really not able to keep up with the needs of children, the costs of living and getting to work, the learning and balancing of many factors such as getting along, doing budgets with limited funds, keeping up with demands of diapers, dishes, food supplies and transportation to appointments and work, and lots more) then eventually they ask or are forced to have their kids supervised by Children's Services or put in Foster Care. That process is one that needs more scrutiny by many caring groups and advocates for families and children.

Unfortunately I have heard strong theories that paint a bleak if not corrupt picture of what is driving the foster care industry... profit-driven patterns to meet quotas and protocol to take kids for an array of reasons from 'medical neglect' of not giving medication to a child who may be acting out in school (and taken by an ambulance to a hospital then not released to the parents if they do not agree with the medical treatment protocol or other kinds of procedures to address illness even when it is not life-threatening or pressing.)

There can be many forms of neglect such as children being too far from their home in a neighborhood, not wearing the right clothes to school, and other concerns which could perhaps be addressed with written notes and calls. One foster care mother got a long thread going about encouraging any people who are clearly pro-life to be ready to adopt or care for foster children.

The ones addicted to crack (the babies born this way) are in special need of care. And why can't they be given more love and care or something adequate. Other foster care parents describe kids being kept in deplorable conditions making foster care necessary. Unkempt homes, little food, poor hygiene and lack of social nurturing to name a few concerns listed.

Where are the church and community outreaches? Why not feed all kids breakfast, lunch and even send home a sandwich or more for supper? Identifying ways to solve the problems likely would be easier than arguing about defining the problem and paying higher costs after a crisis. There are no easy answers but maybe they don't have be be as hard and elusive as they've been for decades.

More people could work through existing Schools and Faith Groups and Community Recreation and Other Programs to provide supervised programs for infants through young adults. www.crisistrends.org has innovative dataa about America based on some of the 30 millon texts fielded by 2600 volunteers from fairly recent texting services (Crisis Text Line, reached by texting Home to 741741 in certain parts of the country for support in crisis). That was developed by Nancy Lublin, a Brown University alumna, Class of 1993, who wants to 'prevent this shit from happening."

Let's join in that sentiment and make more good ways to intervene early on for anyone needing help, ourselves included. We're all 'worth it' and time like a river is flowing on, so be a thriver and get help and lend a hand while still on land. Peace and light!