Broken System

The system is broken. The DHS system. Well, I can't speak for all of it but I can tell you this: The Department of Human Services Child Welfare is broken. No longer is it about the child. It is about money. They don't see the child, they see dollar signs. The child's well being is not being taken into account. What is taken into account is how much money that child is costing the state. I got a call yesterday evening from D's caseworker. She told me she had put in a referral for a new home for D. I knew D's contract with us was almost up but last the caseworker and I had talked she was all about keeping D with us until he transitioned home, even if that meant changing his contract to long term. I was a tad shocked that she was singing a different tune. Dad is apparently not stable enough for D to transition as quickly as she was hoping. This means two things, 1. D will need to stay in foster care longer, 2. this will cost the state more money. Now, it is not secret that we choose to work with hard to place youth. We like the challenge. We like to work with kids who need us the most. People who choose to work with higher needs children get a bigger stipend a month. It costs the state more money to keep D with us. If they keep D with us, it will cost the state more money. The system does not want to spend that money. WHY WHY WHY would it be good to move a child who has FINALLY stabilized enough for us to work on his foundation? He is no longer having hour long tantrums or being violent (for the most part). Due to this we can work on building a positive self-image, what it means to make good choices, how to be respectful, how to express feelings in positive ways. This is important work. This foundation is what will help D grow into a productive and respectful member of society. I have no doubt in my mind that if D moves his behavior will deteriorate. The tantrums will return. He will run away again. All the work he has done with us will be destroyed. The tiny bit of positive self-image he has built will blow away. Moving, to him, will feed into his feelings of being a failure. He will see that playing by the rules, making good choices, doesn't get you what you want. When he realizes that, watch out world. The wrath of D will be upon you. This poor little boy has lived in 3-4 homes since coming into care in November. He has lived with us the longest of any of the placements. He has blown out of all his last homes. He is finally showing respect, following directions, and expressing him emotions in healthy ways the majority of the time. Would you move him?