What are the most important foster parents rights?
Some Massachusetts foster parents say they don’t have a voice in the system and are fighting for their own bill of rights.
We’re tired of feeling like they’re taking advantage of us…like we’re a babysitter.Quira Deng, former foster parent
The foster parents said common sense information they should know before a child is placed in their home, like health problems or safety concerns, is not being shared.
We don’t feel like we’re part of a team we don’t feel…like nobody regards us at all,” said Deng.
What are the most important foster parents rights?
Some of the parents testified Tuesday at the Statehouse, seeking a foster parents’ “bill of rights.”
One of the key issues in the bill is better communication, requiring the Department of Children and Families to provide information on a child’s behavior, family background, health, and how many times the child’s been moved before placement.
There’s been a number of cases where medical information or history of an individual’s behaviors have not been appropriately shared,” said Rep. Joseph McKenna, D-Worcester.
McKenna, co-sponsor of the bill, said not disclosing that information can have serious consequences.
Earlier this month, 25 Investigates reported on a Lowell area foster parent who said a foster child placed in her home sexually assaulted her then 4-year-old daughter. We aren’t identifying the family to protect the child.
The mother is suing DCF, claiming the case worker knowingly placed a sexual offender in her home without disclosing the risks. The case is pending.
Boston 25 News asked DCF about the foster parents’ bill of rights, a spokesperson told us, in part,
We are actively recruiting foster homes and adoptive families across the state and strive to build a large, diverse community of foster parents statewide.DCF spokesperson
