Frankly Ronda: Big Day Tomorrow

Our Artist!

Foster care is an ever evolving puzzle. We are are working together with D's Foster Care Team to solve the many moving pieces.

Family Visits and Kinship

We have to remember that the goal of foster care is family reunification. The system is set up to support that guiding principle. The premise is that the best home for kids is with their parents as long as they are safe. Thus, weekly visits with family are customary. These visits make sense to keep the family in touch but they can be disruptive as well - complex emotions are surfaced with these visits.

For many reasons, D's first family visit was chaotic and extremely difficult. It took D three days to recover. The second visit was on Monday this week and SO much better! The CASA Caseworker and the CPS/CVS Caseworker were both there to supervise. D left with a few tears running down his cheeks but was able to go back to school. His first swim lesson that afternoon was well timed because he was tremendously excited and was jubilant in the pool. D has been his normal engaging self the rest of the week.

Tomorrow is an important day for D's future. The 14 day hearing (required after removal) that was postponed is tomorrow, May 4. His family situation is complicated even for foster care scenarios. The Judge will need to decide if there will be a kinship placement (kinda like foster care with a relative) and which family member will be considered. If granted then CPS might do a kinship home study, background checks and drug tests to make sure the kinship home is safe and appropriate - this part is unclear to me. Hopefully, D would stay with us while all this is happening. And D's toddler brother would stay with his foster family too. We hope to know more tomorrow ...

Knowing D

We are getting to know D better each day. For example, we did not realize D wore glasses until last Friday. We requested that the family bring the glasses so I was able to pick up from CPS office yesterday.

D's first language is Spanish. It is interesting that he and I are able to communicate in English very well. He loves Word Party on Netflix; he is so funny when he sings and responds to the questions from the show. I think the program is perfect for helping increase his English vocabulary. I must admit I am NOT up-to-date on the best kid programs but working on it.

His six year old heart is so true. He actually thanked me for waking him up yesterday morning. When I asked him how school was today, he told me enthusiastically it was "good, really really good." We read Go Dog Go last night and when I finished he sweetly asked if I could read it again and I did of course! Each day he mentions missing his Dad and Mom.

The Foster Care Team Update

1) Jonathan's Place (JP) Caseworker - NEW UPDATE - Our JP Caseworker is scheduled to come to the house next Wednesday. This is the monthly follow up and D's service plan visit. He will also provide Medical Administration Training to our future babysitters so we will have several at our home for this training - Yeah!

2) CVS Caseworker (CPS Conservatorship Caseworker) NEW UPDATE - I met the "CPS worker" on Monday and talked with her yesterday. I think I was confused on her role due to the 14 day hearing being postponed. I think she is the CPS Investigator who makes a recommendation to the DA and Judge. She now rolls off tomorrow after the hearing. We get a new CPS contact tomorrow that is the CVS Caseworker. Our JP Caseworker gave me the CVS Caseworker name and phone number today.

3) Guardian Ad Litem (Attorney for the foster child) D's attorney has not contacted us yet and court date is tomorrow May 4 - this Friday.

4) CASA Volunteer - NEW UPDATE - The CASA Volunteer was at the second family visit last Monday. She cannot be at court Friday, May 4, so her CASA supervisor will be there instead with her report. It is unclear to me exactly how that report is used.

5) Therapist Evaluation - The evaluating therapist, Dr. J, will recommend a therapist to help D with his sadness at the loss of his family. We have not gotten any information on a therapist for D yet.

6) Biological Family - NEW UPDATE -The biological family for D includes Mom, Dad, grandmothers, an aunt and cousins. There is a request for kinship care (not Mom or Dad) and the hearing tomorrow will give us more information on what will happen.

7) Judge - The Judge is ultimately the decision maker for just about everything.
The Court hearing scheduled on May 4.

Glimpses ...