[GingerR]

Have you ever thrown in the towel out of sheer frustration with the cw and circumstances of a foster child's case?

We are thisclose to reaching that point.

We have had our 4 year-old fd for 10 months. We were told that within 2 months of her placement, TPR was going to begin (that would've been May). Her cw resigned and since then, the case has actually regressed. Long story short, her new cw came in and had the goal of TPR changed to reunification, but now reunification is up in the air because dad seems to be taking some backwards steps.

One advantage of the longevity is that it gave us the time necessary to determine that sadly, she was just not a good match for us adoption-wise. When we realized this, we started advocating to have her placed with her brother so that whatever happened, they would at least be together. He has moved 3 times since we've had "M", and not once have they looked for a home that would take them together. And there is absolutely no reason not to... there's no history between them of abuse or inappropriate behavior. They're rowdy, but what siblings aren't.

They have once again moved her brother this week without even asking the foster parents if they would consider taking M as well. Now we are being told that they have NO IDEA how much longer this case could drag on. It depends on if dad gets it together... what so-and-so recommends at the next staffing... what the General Master will say at the next Judicial Review (60 days from now).

Meanwhile, we don't want to disrupt her life if at all possible, but at the same time, it is preventing us from being able to take a child who might be a good fit. (we already have a one-year-old, and taking another while we have M would just be too much).

It's just criminal how M and her brother are languishing in foster care because no one will make a move either way. It's all extensions, extensions, extensions, let's meet back here again to discuss such-and-such in 60 days, blah, blah, BLAH. M and bro have been in foster care since 2003. She was 2 years old, and is going to turn 5 next week.

Any feedback from your own situations? There are a lot of other negative factors as well, mainly that she has some serious emotional and behavioral problems and we are traditional foster care. I just don't know if we can continue to do this without any end in sight... not even a rough guesstimate.

Argh!

Ginger