I have been really frustrated the last few days with the way our social system deals with foster kids.  Here are just a few of the things that get under my skin:

• Un-returned phone calls
• Kids in crisis kept in crisis by the system
• State worker’s rigid working hours
• Lawyers playing social worker
• Supervised visits, but unmonitored phone calls
• Layers upon layers of state involvement
• Unanswered questions because no one knows the answer
• No access to available benefits for the child (don’t even get me started on that one!)

Being a foster parent is tough!  I am supposed to provide a loving, nurturing environment and yet, by legal mandate, it has to be contaminated with cancelled visits by bio parents,  weekly phone calls by the same parents, disruptions in school to facilitate visits that only serve to upset and damage already hurting and damaged children.

OK, I’m off my soapbox.  Any one else dealing with this?