[scandi]

In the county where I work we try to gage the appropriate transition time to meet the needs of the children. That doesn't always work as some foster parents want the kid gone right away. I always have a real problem with that because it is not right for the child.

The homes that we have that are really good work with us on the transition and just before the child leaves - foster or adopt situation they have a good bye party for them. We have some foster parents who hear from both the kids and the parents long after they leave. I think that is a testament to our good foster parents.

There are circumstances that can lead to a quick removal but they should be few and far between. I recently did one with a 17 year old. She was a foster child and the foster home kept her contact with her birth family at a minimum afainst what the county wanted for her to have. She has a close relationship with her birth family. This was very upsetting to her. There were several other issues and it was felt that it was better to do a quick move rather than a slower one. Even though she was aware that there would probably be backlash (and there was) she wanted to respite at the two options available to her to see which family would best meet her needs - since she would be living there for another 2 years (doesn't grad for awhile). She really wanted to leave the old home on a positive note but the foster parents would not allow it. She was more mature about the circumstances than the foster parents. It would have been much nicer for the former foster parents to be a positive support for her in the future - she would have liked that - it was just not felt that living with them was the best place for her but I am not sure that will ever happen at this point. This girl has lost alot in her life and it is really too bad that it happened that way.

I have worked with some awesome foster parents who truely only want whats best for the children and work with the transition with the county. I am rambling now so I will quit talking.