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When my son was placed with us as a preadoptive placement, we were "home" number 15, in 8 years (that includes 2 reunifications). (He was 11 at time of placement). In reviewing his profile, I noticed he was never anywhere longer than 7 months, except for 1 reunification with biodad until biodad was arrested/convicted of molesting a 14yr old girl and the first 3 years of his life with both bioparents.
That said, he was 1 of 4 the first two times taken into care. (now he's one of 6). At some point the group of 4 were split into 3 separate homes, 2 girls staying together. Then his lying/stealing caused homes to ask that he be moved. Other times he was moved due to a change in foster care level (ie therapuetic vs regular). Other times were documented for other than child's behaviors (but it doesn't say exactly what).
He's been with us for over 13 months now and has SIGNIFICANTLY improved. The constant moving DID cause additional "issues" or worsen certain behaviors he already had. So it is upsetting to see 8 years of my son's life spent at 14 different places and what that has done to him.
So much disruption isn't necessary, but it does happen. And I have to admit, I have been on the other side of the coin.
We were licensed as fost to adopt, where we only wanted low legal risk placements, (we wanted a boy, a boy and girl, or 2 boys). We got a call for 2 sisters (11 & 12) coming into care for their first time, the night before thanksgiving. It was the 11yr olds bday, and they were desperate to place them. It was only supposed to be a weekend, then a month til the hearing, etc... it turned into almost 6 months. Once we found out that the county was going to recommend the girls not be returned to home and they were going to spend another 6-12 months in care, we asked that they be moved to a long term foster home, as we were starting to do straight matching and we didn't want to have them moved only once we were placed, as we felt that would do even more harm to them.
They were EXTREMELY attached to biomom, and knew us as a foster mom/dad and called us by our first names, but I know the move still caused some additional heartache, even just based on the unknown, going to another strange house, having to change schools after making friends. It was an EXTREMELY hard decision for my DH and I and we didn't make it quickly or lightly, but it was the right one for us at the time. And the girls were great girls with very mild issues, so it wasn't their behaviors that caused the move, it was the situation.
I do think they ended up in at least 2 more homes before they were reunified with biomom. The home they went to after leaving us, I had recommended them not to go to (they had a weekend visit before the final move), as I thought the fostermom would get too overwhelmed. They lived kinda far for all the visits they were required and she ran a daycare in her home, had 2 3 year twin boys (one medically fragile), and was 8 months pregnant. I believe they didn't stay there very long.
We're actually in the process of being considered for an 8yr old girl. We have an interview next week (one other family is being considered as well) and she spent 2 years at the same foster family (8yr old and her 3 younger siblings). They are being separated for adoption, so she was moved to new foster home when the others were placed in their preadoptive home, as the fostermom needed a "break" as she was tired after having the 4 of them. I find the 2yr stay in one foster home a rarity.
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