Foster Care 101 Continued....the System

I  have received many questions and have heard lots of comments concerning foster care in the last few months. In attempts to process through them, take some action and give some understanding, I will be writing about different foster care topics. If you have a question, please share! 

If you missed the first post on foster care and how to care for foster families, please check it out here. 

Question: "What exactly is the system" 

Often in foster care, we throw around the word "System." The "system is broken."  "Kids get lost in the system." Etc. What exactly is THE SYSTEM? In order to answer some of that, some other roles and explanations are required. Ready? Set. Here we go. 

Why are kids in foster care? If there is a concern about the safety of a child, Child Protective Services (CPS) will start an investigation. The investigation could result in immediate removal, or an ongoing, checking in, keeping parents accountable, etc.   

If a child is removed, they are either placed with relatives, if a home is appropriate or in foster care. During that time, the case is transferred to a foster care worker. The foster care worker becomes the primary contact and advocate for the child and parents. Their job is to figure out the best situation for the child, majority of the time, working towards reunification (send the child back home).  

If you are a parent and your child has been removed, you are offered, and often court ordered to participate in a number of services, including drug screening, job training, finding appropriate housing, parent visits, parent classes, going back to school, counseling, etc, etc, etc. 

In most cases, a case will go before the courts every days. In the state of Michigan, it is a goal that kids will have a permanency planning hearing by the time they are in care for one year. 

Everyone who has a role in working with parents and the child (CPS, foster care workers, service providers, lawyers and the courts) are a part of the system. The judge on the case makes the ultimate decision, but all play a crucial role. 

Yes, the system is messed up. The system needs people to stop complaining and instead,  need those who are redeemed by Jesus to step in to the messiness of the system, get their hands dirty and to show the redeeming power of the Savior to a very, very broken system. 

Hope this helps!