Inside CPS and the Foster Care System

Part 4:  The Role of Foster Care in Keeping Children Safe

 

When a report is filed with the SCR, mandated reporters sometimes assume the child will be immediately removed from the home in an effort to shield them from further potential harm.

 

However, as revealed in the previous articles in this series, there are many perspectives that CPS caseworkers must first vet as part of a process that unfolds to protect the child’s well-being, with the goal of family preservation.

 

In fact, in cases involving child welfare, the majority of children are deemed safe to remain in their homes, following an initial safety assessment and ensuing investigation.

 

But for those children who do need to be removed from the home due to unsafe conditions, there is a diligent process that thoughtfully places them either in the care of kin or a certified foster care home.

“Children come to us in various emotional states,” said Daniella Posella, Senior Caseworker for Foster Care Intake/Kinship/ICPC Liaison, Monroe County Department of Human Services. 

 

“Any time a decision is made for removal, our role at the Foster Care Intake Unit is to receive the child and bridge the next step in out-of-home placement,” she explained. This includes gathering information about the child and understanding challenges for the family.

 

“Each child’s experience is very different,” said Posella. “There is not just one type of neglect that brings a child into foster care. The children experience various types of neglect such as deplorable/unsafe housing conditions to a parent’s inability to provide for their children due to significant mental health or substance abuse issues.”

 

Once a child is received in the Foster Care Intake Unit, Posella and her team consider the child’s options for placement.

 

“The Foster Care Intake Unit also houses the Kinship Unit,” she said, “which means we make every effort to place the child with a relative first, in the interest of family preservation.”

 

The department continues to seek out family even after placement in a foster care home is made. “Sometimes we’re able to discharge children from foster care,” continued Posella, “if a suitable placement with a relative is eventually found.”

 

Caseworkers also address the unmet needs of the child by arranging for busing to school, setting up mental health services, and making appointments for any medical issues. Posella works with the child’s school to help quell any disruptions in learning. She also sets up a supervised visitation schedule to ensure the child stays connected to siblings, parents, and other family members.

 

“We try to reassure kids that foster care is meant to be a temporary situation,” Posella said, “that their family is still family. Unless it’s not possible (e.g., when an order of protection is in place), we always work toward the goal of reunification.” 

Todd Ranous is a Senior Caseworker for the Homefinding Unit in the Monroe County Department of Human Services. He supervises the  matching of children to foster care homes.

 

“We receive referrals from the Foster Care Intake Unit or Child Protective Management teams when children need to be placed in foster care,” said Ranous. “It’s important to get information like medical history, behavioral/ emotional issues, schooling, and the reason for coming into care. These are the main factors we consider when matching children to available homes.”

 

He explained that each foster home has its own strengths. Some do well with structure for kids with behavioral challenges. Some do better with boys, while others do better with girls. Still, others dedicate their time to welcoming children with special needs, like autism, into their homes.

 

“We look for homes with specific skills sets to find the one that is the best match for each child,” he said.

 

Sometimes when a child comes into care,  the child can’t process what is happening. The child might need additional casework supports to assist in the transition to foster care. When this occurs during the day, the child’s caseworker will help. If there are any issues after 5 p.m. or on the weekend, Monroe County’s Foster Care After Hours Program, in partnership with Hillside Children’s Center’s Mobile Stabilization Program, will go into the foster home to support the child in crisis. The workers help foster parents with skill-building strategies to minimize the prospect of the child having to change foster homes.

 

“As you can imagine, children in this situation are scared and confused,” said Ranous. “We use the information we’ve gathered on the child to best prepare foster parents, but often we are learning this child together.”

 

In cases where a youth or an older teen exhibits ongoing behavioral concerns preventing a safe placement in a foster home, that child may be placed in a residential setting that can provide more structure and services.

 

There are currently 214 open homes in the Monroe County foster care system, but not all of those are available for placements. Some homes are certified for kinship care, which is a good alternative to a foster care home as the child can reside with a relative that they know.

 

“We need more foster homes,” said Ranous. “We’re seeing a lot of long-term effects on parents and children after COVID. The needs of children coming into care have gone up significantly.” 

“I’d like mandated reporters to understand that just because a report is called in,” said Ranous, “it doesn’t necessarily mean the child needs to be  removed from their home.”

 

The vast majority of children involved in CPS reports do remain safely in their homes. Ranous explained that confidentiality laws in investigations preclude CPS from sharing any details about a case.

 

“If a child remains in the home,” he continued, “CPS has assessed the child as safe, and through the investigation will offer resources and support to the family to reduce risk and further CPS involvement.”

 

Posella added her perspective with a suggestion to mandated reporters to be tolerant, giving grace and leeway when supporting a child who is dealing with a traumatic experience.

 

“If a child has been removed and placed in foster care, any emotional support you can provide to help that child through this uprooting experience will be very helpful,” she said.