Foster Care & Myths: #4 - State-mandated Placement.

Over the past several weeks I plan to do a series of articles and videos on the subject of foster care and myths. The series of short articles explore some of the various impressions and perspectives people have about foster care that are not accurate. My hope is to provide better information around the truth surrounding foster care.

This myth may actually surprise you. While it is true, the state who manages the needs of children that become wards of the state also manage the foster care placements yet they do not mandate that every foster home take every child needing placed. The foster care system uses and manages homes on a voluntary basis. While there is a daily reimbursement for the care of children and youth, foster parents can choose who and when they receive children. Let me explain.

We could look at a foster parent as a private contractor with the state. Sometimes through a private agency but nevertheless ultimately work for the state and efforts are made to follow a plan that a judge ultimately agrees to. We must note that the judge is the final authority Yet it is clearly recognize that as a private contractor there voice as well as their support system linens toward a healthy outcome and final resolve to bringing hope and treatment for a child or teen in their care.

Foster parents are the front line in the day-to-day operations and management of their household. Agencies and other professionals work together to bring about a healthy disposition of the foster care plan.

There are factors that contribute to the placement and management of a child or youth into foster care.

1. Foster Parents, while remaining committed to the care of children can choose when and who they receive.

It bears repeating, Foster Parents are in control as to who they choose to foster. For many agencies foster parents can identify the age or other demographic factors that fit their own children and home. If parents choose to only take pre-adoptive placement, and agency will work with them or if they should choose a younger versus older child they can also expressed that desire.
Often there are very complex and overwhelming needs that even the most experienced case manager is at a loss as to what expect. However, working together and setting healthy boundaries as well as sharing the responsibilities is vital.

2. Foster Parents have options in-spite the enormous expectations.

It takes an awful lot for foster parents to adjust schedules and needs of their own family. But we find most often does the parents are fairly self-sufficient and resourceful, often building their own network of support including those that could provide respite services or other childcare needs.

3. Foster Parents have rights as they work with agencies and state case managers.

Many states have adopted a certain set of rights for foster parents. In Indiana, as an example foster parents know can speak into the courts and the individual education goals because they know the children better than anyone else. The input of a foster parent is vital to the successful plan, even the reunification efforts.

4. Foster Parents follow guidelines yet there are liberties that encourage growth and learning for parents and foster children.

Agencies as well as the state often develop guidelines that provide flexibility and resources to help families grow and develop. It’s important to note that many foster parents are required to have continued education to maintain their license with the state yet there are many resources available as well as support groups for families.

It’s important to note that even though the needs of the child is paramount in that foster parents ultimately do work together as part of a reunification plan, foster parents do contribute to the success of any plan. Foster parents determine ultimately the success as long as they remain flexible and willing to learn.

MYTH #5 Click Here.

What’s In A Name?

In the day and age we live we have many ways to discover our ancestry. Many are curious of the genealogy and so they do research to find out where they came from. People will spend a lot of money to sign up for these types of database computer searches. While others simply take the DNA test to discover their ancestry.

It’s a curious thing that no matter who we are we all long to be connected to some kind of history as if it will define our own existence making our lives more meaningful. I too am one of those curious people who love to study the history and make up of not only my Dutch and English family heritage but also my wife’s Native American heritage. Perhaps it’s a quest to discover more about ourselves that it is the history of where we came from?

Go into any souvenir shop and you can find your name and it’s meaning on all kinds of merchandise from coffee cups to engraved wall signage. With the way in which we creatively spell our own names it becomes more more difficult. Nevertheless we make every effort search for the meaning of our own name.

In school I was asked whether my name, Rick was short for Richard. I often thought to myself that it would be nice to have such a formal name. One day in my own personal quest to discover the meaning of my name I asked my parents how and who I was named after. To my surprise they told me in a rather cryptic way; as someone that they knew from long ago. Upon further Investigation I discovered that there was a man in the neighborhood who went by the name Rick. He was the community drunk who is seldom sober.

Attempting to find a more substantial meaning to my name sake I started investigating the reason why my middle name is Edward. As a child the cigar brand that was popular that many in my extended family would smoke was the king Edward brand of cigars. You may not remember them but for the longest time I was certain that that is where my name came from. It made sense seeing that my first name derived from a rather negative meaning. To my relief, as I recall growing up I eventually learned that I was named after my grandfather whom I looked up to and wanted to emulate.

What is in our names? What is the meaning of our names? Too often I think we look for definitions that later define our existence or the meaning of our lives. Not often enough to we look to the identity that we have in Christ and settle for something that is less than our true identity. We might even identify ourselves according to our habits or are interests. We may identify ourselves with a particular group of people. In high school I often wanted to be a member of one of the more popular groups. Somehow I thought that if I was in that popular group I would have a better identity.

Ultimately I learned that the name that I go by is not necessarily the only thing that identifies me. As I grew in my relationship with Christ I came to understand that the identity I could have was in my Christian heritage. I came to identify myself in the name of Jesus Christ and therefore emulating His meaning and His purpose in my life. I discovered that it wasn’t fulfilling just to use earthly expressions or follow certain groups to find out who I was and who I am. Rather, it’s more important that I identify with an everlasting God who created me. I discovered that it wasn’t fulfilling just to use earthly expressions or follow certain groups to find out who I am.

As we become new in Christ our identity is clearly aligned with His will and plan for our future. My name has significance because, after all it is MY name. However, God has given us His name and we are His heir to His Kingdom which is far more significant and eternal.

Read more on this subject.

It Is Time to Bring Adoption (Back) Into Every Church!

For years I have heard of the importance of being part of the family of God. Growing up in a strong family environment of the local church helped me realize the importance of the Christian family. Even though I grew up in a large family, eight children, I didn’t always understand the importance of family, at least as part of the family of God.

In my early years I used to hear lessons from the Church encouraging us to witness to others. We often would talk about becoming adopted into God‘s family. I’ve heard the phrase many times, "God has no orphans." This was very reassuring for me even though I was not adopted or in foster care. The symbolism held a high importance for me because it help me to understand what it meant to be part of the family of God.

Over time, as I grew up and went to college the phrase and importance to talk about adoption into God’s Family seem to disappear from our vocabulary. In spiritual terms we started talking becoming a Christian by choosing Him as Savior. We would even teach that salvation in Christ was followed by discipleship. There were new terms that were introduced like being "born again." Theology rightfully identified the importance of being justified through Christ because of what His sacrifice means in the Christian faith. The terms may have even been biblical but not as much emphasis was placed on family. How many of you remember calling each other in the church brother and sister?

More recently however, I have begun to incorporate this all important theology of being "adopted" into God’s family as a clearer understanding of salvation. Having been both a foster parent and now recruiting people for foster care, perhaps my realization has been heightened. I talk more and more these days about orphan ministries and foster care. With over a half million children currently in foster care or waiting for adoption, there is never been a more alarming statistic than what we are facing today in America alone.

I wonder if we are missing out and maybe not fully understanding what the Scripture has to say about being adopted into God’s family. I wonder if perhaps our world is longing for a place to belong so much so that they are feeling like orphans, separated from God‘s presence and the church.

The following are a few scriptures that reference the theology of being adopted and even illustrate the importance of being connected into God‘s family. We can think of so many biblical examples of those that were outside of His family but then being able to join into the church family.
Read 10 biblical verses that talk about adoption.

We know well the story of Moses who was adopted and saved from death so he could save God’s people from Egypt. (Exodus 1:15-22)

There is Rahab who was able to be adopted (so to speak) into the lineage of Jesus because of her willingness to hide the spies. (Joshua 2:1-24)

There is the story of Esther who was raised by her uncle Mordecai because her parents died and who later becoming the queen, saving God’s people from certain death. (Esther)
Most certainly is the story of Jesus who was born of a virgin Mary and adopted by an earthly father named Joseph. (Matthew 1:18)

We read over and over about spiritual adoption that we all can experience as recorded by Paul.  As Romans 8:15 so beautifully states, "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’"

Read about more scriptures from following article: Adoption Stories.
This is a key reminder that not only are we all orphaned and separated from God but it drives home the reality of hundreds of thousands of children and youth who are orphaned and in foster care every day. God has compassion on us as Orphans and the church should have compassion on those, who of no fault of their own, are in foster care and needing adopted into our families today!

Could it be that we’re missing out when we talk about evangelism but fail to talk about how God adopt us as members of his family? For me, I want to make sure people understand that the price of that adoption was on His death and resurrection. We are accepted and even adopted as children of God when we receive, freely this gift of eternal life!

It is time to bring adoption back into the church!

Francis Chan makes the assertion that if one out of every other church were to invest in caring for the Orphan we could eliminate (foster care & adoption) the need nationally!