Foster youth help create bill allowing them to choose their own families

I worked as a Contract Specialist managing Traditional and Specialized Foster Care contracts and I can tell you there are some Foster Parents that really do a good job with Foster children but there are far too many who are only in it for the money. It’s just sad seeing small children taken from bad home situations and placed in worse situations. More must be done to protect OUR children.

My mom was a foster parent for 15 years and had over 50 children during that time. I always hated when siblings were split and then were not kept in contact with each other. Even if it isn't safe for them to be together for health or safety reasons I believe they should always know where their siblings are, or have a way to contact them. I would love for them to have the opportunity for regular visits with relatives as well, like uncles and aunts or grandparents or cousins. Just because their parents couldn't keep them, and no one in their family could take them, doesn't mean they don't still have family that loves them.

I'm 41 years old. I wish I had the nerve to sue the state I was in for being put into three abusive foster homes. I applaud these children for their bravery. I was threaten and told if I spoke up, that my foster family would lie and get their kids to side with them in their lies. 41 years old and I'm still dealing with PTSD from both my biological parents and foster parents. NO, I cannot afford a good therapist. It's not even about the money. Children shouldn't be taken from one horrible situation (after all, we don't choose our biological parents) and placed into another horrible situation (abusive foster homes).

I'm so applauding the foster children of today. Their strength and voices should be heard and actions taken.

I am soooooo proud of each of these young, wise, caring and committed adults.

Sending each of you MUCHO ❤,

A Florican Abuela

As a foster hell survivor...poverty is why the majority of kids end up there. Abuse for me came while I lived in foster care. In fact,my mother caught them abusing me during one of her visits and all hell broke loose. They were starving me and SA me. I was inside for 5 yrs. 18 months to almost 6. If the parents aren't abusing them,they should always have a relationship with their families. We just just have safety nets for the poor so this doesn't continue. But,rich ppl need their babies.

Foster care in some cases is bullish!!! Instead of giving the parents the help the government will give a stranger a check to care for kids. I love this for them and those coming up behind them, but still wanna see real change for that system

Living in poverty so taken into care, how about helping the parent to keep the child? Making sure that parent/s have the resources needed to raise children. If the child is not abused , let them stay with their parent and help the parent.

If you don’t serve children in the system or have not been in the system, please do some research before rejecting their ideas.

So amazing. Going through what they did and looking to make life better for kids in their situation. I hope they get everything they ask for.

As someone who was adopted from the DMV myself at birth. I got real love for the people in the Foster system. This is an amazing bill that's going to make a huge difference and give much needed autonomy to these young people.

Much respect to them for driving this change. I never considered that some foster homes don’t teach the life and financial skills needed to thrive in this world.

This is so cool. I like to see youth with big hearts like this. They are actually helping to make the world a better place

We have failed the children in foster care. Although this bill is a Step in the right direction, every city needs to allocate more resources to help families at risk. It's unacceptable for a young person to have No legal guardian to look out for their interests .

Each young person has a voice and adults need to hear them out. Not ignore them.

Removing these children from their homes because their parents lack resources. Then not providing the resources the children needed to be functional members of society.🤔

Should be in every state. I've listened to the stories of so many adopted/fostered children and so many of them are misunderstood. What stuck with me was them saying "adoption is the only form of trauma you are expected to be greatful for" as there is much trauma behind your entire family abandoning you and you having to jump around strangers house to strangers house but be "grateful". Their voices are important.

This is such a good move! There are endless horror stories that foster children go through. I watch a lot of bodycam and crime channels and its clear many foster parents just want the checks. Its also horrific how these kids get placed and NEVER checked on afterwards by social workers. One house was so disgusting, the babies were taken away ONLY AFTER a neighbor called and cops found rat bites on the baby's skin and droppings everywhere.

I also want foster children to continue suing states when they are placed with abusive foster parents. I want them to be able to be able to fight and win...all 50 states have routinely failed these children for decades. It is not fair..they were placed in foster care through no fault of their own and are at the mercy of strangers.

I hope this law passes. Also, CPS/DHS workers are not necessarily social workers. More than most times, they hire people who are not trained/educated for social work. It gives us a bad rep but a part of the real issue is raise the wages and hire qualified people who understand self determination of clients. We are taught this in our MSW programs.

This should be in all 50 states