[Crane13]

Hey all,

We are foster parenting in a very corrupt agency. Has anyone else had experience with this? We would leave, but we are foster parents to three little ones right now, and switchng agencies would mean leaving them behind. Seriously, things are very bad. Kids are being placed with abusive homes, some of us are being "black-listed" for trying to make a difference, so many staff are leaving... It is scary and we don't know what to do to help this agency and their children.

Jill

[AmyAnne]

The more I read this forum, the more I am grateful for the experiences we have had.

[Kate1129]

I'd call someone "higher up" and let them know there are problems. You may need to call someone in your state capital!!!


That's what I'd do!!!!

[Gryph]

Corrupt implies criminal activity such as embezzling funds. I've heard of some private agencies paying employees for kids they did not have but such things are rare and should be reported to the state's attorney general because it involves public funds.

Incompetence seems more likely and seems to be too prevalent.

[rsmith8741]

Ever thought of the newspaper or news? Don't know were you are or how big or small the area is.

[rindava]

unless you are in some few states doing all private foster care, find out who the children's pupublic workers are, call them up, if the children are doing fine in your placement and I guess you are hoping to adopt.....tell them you are switching agencies and want to keep the children placed with you...this should work in most situations....we have a lot of small private agencies around here and I have heard of people doing this and it working, the children have a bond with you, then the real placeing agency should not care.......

actually if the public agency is within driving distance, then they should be will to directly license you as an foster home.....

if you are not going to adopt, it might be in your better interest to just go ahead and move on to another agency......

[karenn]

Do you have an foster parent association? If not start one. There is power in numbers. Also if you have a problem with a specific worker there should be an alternative care review board that will hear complaints about the agency

[Crane13]

I am so furrious with the agency that I don't really want to go into many details. I just get to angry when I think about what they are doing... returning kids to places where they have to take cold showers, eat jalepano peppers, and worse. Who would do that? Who would support that? Several of us foster parents are trying to take a stand together, and in return, we are being threatened that our children are going to be "consolidated." (NOT my word.) This huge sibling group is in three fhouses and after ten months, there is suddenly discussion about moving people around.

Do any of you really feel appreciated by your agencies? I know that we are looked at and judged by our capacity. We are even called "providers." And the children are just a number too. In order to keep our three children, whom we have had for ten months, we are going to need to accept two other small children; a four year old with extreem behaviors. She has spent a lot of time in the past three months in-patient psychiatric. And a new born preemie who was drug exposed. This child will be born in the coming months. As much as I want to keep siblings together, DH and I both work and are busy already with our three. OMG - 5 kids under 6... 3 with special psych needs and one a preemie.... And if we don't say that we will accept the other two, our children will move to other homes.

Sorry to vent. We are just scared. I don't like being tricked into taking on more then I can handle.

J

[jackiesbooks]

Siblings are often moved together - I am not sure that is corruption. Twice I have taken one child and said I would take another and they have move the other sibling from long term placements. If someone else is willing to take all 5 siblings then they would probably be moved in pur agency.