Have you heard about Children's Rights?

The state of Michigan was sued by Children's Rights!!! Thank God these children will not have to suffer in the system longer than 12 months any more!!! Don't you hope your state is next? It's sad that it has taken so long but I am so thankful!!!
The website for more info is www.childrensrights.org
type in michigan settlement
Additional Details
Chilren's Rights was suing on behalf of the 19,000 children in Michigans' foster care system, that is the ones who haven't found permanent placement. One was a 17 year old girl, who spent 15 years in foster care at 13 different placements. She was severely abused by many of her foster families. This settlement agreement is to put a time frame of finding permanent placement if the birth parents can't get themselves straightened out. Thank you for posting the link, I tried but it wouldn't take it.

mom1

It's an interesting child focused site, thank you for sharing. I am posting a link for a fact sheet on the actual settlement, it's so much more than length of time in care.

http://www.childrensrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/2008-07-15-mi-settlement-agreement-fact-sheet-revised.pdf

sam22254

No that means that adoption agencies are going to stall the courts longer to steal more children. But you might not know just how long it takes to get a case to be heard try over 1 year that is if your lucky . My son has been fighting for 3 years and after 1 year of waiting for court to finally come they tried to use best interest. Now wait one year for the judge to sign her final just sign. The wait until you finally get your appeal heard 11 months 15 days now waiting for their answer. Get it 3 years.

Randy B

So, my question is, how can the Department be held responsible for those children who have not had permanent placements?

Are they supposed to knit adoptive families or foster families?

If foster parents sign up for the program, take a placement and then have to move or lose their job or have children of their own or have a conflict between their children and the foster children (or any number of other problems) do we force them to keep the placement (or not move, or not have children of their own....) or to we charge them with an offence because they have had to back out of being a foster parent?

If a child goes to a placement and doesn't want to be there or has a problem with the other children or needs to be moved because of medical reasons.....do we force them to stay with the foster home because they have already had too many moves?

I really don't see how someone can put a time limit on how long the children are in care. Mom and dad are working their plan, dealing with their addictions or getting the vocational assistance they needed but it takes longer then 12 months. Does that mean they lose their child to adoption or a permanent placement of some kind because of the 12 month time limit?

I have no problems with mandated proper medical care (the same as what everyone else gets), safe foster homes with closer oversight on the foster parents or vocational training so that long term foster children have the necessary life skills required to start life on their own at 18 but some of the stuff in this lawsuit seems really unreasonable and will cause more problems then it solves. Be thankful all you want but it doesn't seem like a step forward in many ways to me. Some are necessary and vital but the rest is unworkable in my mind.

mom of many

that time frame isn't much difference than the rest of the country. the national average is 15 months and that is what Wisconsin is. what this just means is that when children are removed from home, the bio parents are given a list of things to accomplish to get their kids back. It could vary but generally its Parenting classes, maybe alcohol or drug or anger management classes, get a job, place to live, etc. If after that time frame they have accomplished little to none, then the state can start proceedings to terminate their rights. but if they are slowly getting things done then they won't terminate their rights.so this time frame is not carved in stone.

John

Like yo are you trying to steal more kids for like adoption. That is like so wrong. They in foster care their parents are like working hard to get them back, well maybe not some of them but like most of them are.

And what about the people that the social wrecker like just didn't like the peeps and took the kids and want to sell the kids for adoption because they are like so young and little and cute? I don't think it is right. 1 year to get your life perfect? They are like drug users or mentally ill so how is 1 year giving them enough time?

Independ"ant"

And what are the excuses Paps use for not adopting the kids in foster care who are "ready and waiting" to be adopted.

Why are they ignored and overlooked by Paps.......its certainly not because its more expensive or time consuming than going through a foreign/domestic agency for a baby.....is it now.

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