[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4781-S4782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICA'S FOSTER CARE CHILDREN
Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today, during National
Foster Care Month, to speak for the more than a half million children
living in foster care across the United States who are waiting for a
loving family to adopt them.
I encourage potential parents throughout our country to open their
hearts, their lives and their homes to these vulnerable children and
provide them with the safe, permanent families that all children
deserve. As an adoptive parent myself, I know first-hand the joy and
fulfillment adoption can bring to a family, and I cannot think of a
more perfect gift to give a child than the love, nurturing, and
protection they need to grow.
A sense of stability is critical to the development of children. Yet,
young children in foster care never know how long they will stay in one
place or where they will be sent off to next, resulting in a
frightening lack of consistency and security.
I recently had the chance to meet with Aaron Weaver, a young man from
Nebraska, who shared with me some of his experiences in the foster care
system: ``Growing up in foster care, a tattered yellow vinyl suitcase
always accompanied me, as I switched families, rules and routines,'' he
said.
I hated that suitcase. It was a constant reminder of how
unstable my life was, and how every day was uncertain.
Fortunately, after 6 years in Nebraska's foster care system, Aaron
was finally adopted. Adoption for him meant a family who gave him
unconditional love. Adoption meant the end of packing his suitcase,
wondering where he would be placed next. Adoption gave him, for the
first time, the freedom and confidence to think about his future not in
terms of where he would be sleeping next month, but in terms of what
his goals were and where he wanted to go in life.
In 2005, just 10 percent of Nebraska's foster care children were
lucky enough to be adopted into new families like Aaron's, leaving
nearly a thousand more waiting eagerly for adoptive homes.
Unfortunately, any chance of these children being placed with adoptive
parents becomes worse the longer they remain in foster care. In fact,
when a child reaches the 8- to 9-year age range, the probability that
child will continue to wait in foster care exceeds the probability that
he or she will be adopted; and the number of children in this older age
group is growing.
The Adoption Incentive Program, a Federal program first enacted into
law as part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, is up for
reauthorization this year. This important program encourages State
governments to find permanent homes for foster children through
adoption by rewarding those States which have increased their number of
placements. Additionally, the program provides special incentives to
focus on finding homes for older foster children and those with special
needs. I am proud to report that, through this program, my home State
of Nebraska was awarded $1,392,000 between 2000 and 2006 for finding
adoptive families for 2,483 children, money which will be reinvested to
make this number even greater.
I believe we have a responsibility to help foster children in
Nebraska and across the Nation join loving, permanent adoptive families
such as Aaron's. I hope all of you agree and will join me in my
commitment to improving America's foster care system.
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize May as National
Foster Care Month. I salute the thousands of families in Kentucky and
throughout the country who serve as foster parents, along with those
who expand their families by adopting a child from the foster care
system. Unfortunately, not every child finds a home. In 2005, more than
24,000 foster children reached their 18th birthdays without being
adopted. As these young adults aged out of the foster care program,
they faced many of life's challenges without the family support and
encouragement that many of us take for granted. With over a half
million children currently in our Nation's foster care system, it is
imperative that we do all that we can to ensure that they
[[Page S4782]]
are able to join the families they so desperately need and deserve.
From my home State of Kentucky, Chris Brown is a testament to the
importance of adoption. Chris entered foster care at the age of 11,
after the death of his mother. He spent more than 2 years in foster
care before being adopted. At the age of 13, Chris was adopted by his
Big Brothers, Big Sisters mentor, Dave Brown. Chris thrived in his
adoptive home, and was presented with opportunities he would not have
had otherwise. Through the support of his adopted family, he was able
to attend Northern Kentucky University, where he majored in psychology.
Now married and with a family of his own, Chris has dedicated his
career to social work, using his talents and skills to give back to the
community. Chris's story demonstrates how an investment in just one
child can pay off for an entire community.
The care provided by foster homes and foster families is of great
value. Raising awareness about the number of foster children in
America, and making it easier for families to adopt is crucial to
guaranteeing that America's foster children have the resources and
support they need to succeed. Chris Brown is an excellent example of
how a child can thrive and develop in a loving family. National Foster
Care Month reminds us of our obligation to America's youth. I commend
all those who love and accept into their homes those children needing a
home.
Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise in observance of National Foster
Care Month. Throughout our Nation, so many families provide loving and
caring homes for children who have suffered from abuse and neglect.
This month is an important reminder to thank the families who welcome
these children into their homes, as well as the State and local
officials, social workers, health care workers, and others in our
communities who look for signs of abuse and take action to ensure it
stops.
Social workers, in particular, have numerous demands placed on them
in their efforts to ensure appropriate care of abused and neglected
children, those with disabilities and our vulnerable elderly. To help
these workers in their important jobs, I recently introduced the
Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young Jr. Social Reinvestment Act with
Senator Mikulski. I look forward to swift passage of this bill so that
we can better support our Nation's social workers.
I also want to thank those who help parents who may have a substance
abuse problem or who suffer from mental illness. These important
professionals help so many parents to overcome their illnesses, which
can be a barrier in providing safe and stable homes for their children.
Our justice systems, including our judges, attorneys and local law
enforcement, who work every day to ensure the safety of our children,
also deserve our recognition this month. So many of them take the extra
time in their overburdened caseloads to ensure they are doing the right
thing for the future of each abused and neglected child. In fact, in my
home State of Oregon, Judge Pamela Abernethy runs a program in her
courtroom that engages mental health professionals, law enforcement
officials, child development specialists and others in a team approach
that has produced great outcomes for children and their parents. Her
work helps to stop the cycle of abuse that we see too often in
families. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Harkin to
pass our bill, the Safe Babies Act, which will work to replicate
successful programs like Judge Abernethy's across the Nation.
However, we know that often children may not be able to return to
their birth families. In America we are lucky that many families,
including my own, have a great love in their heart for children and are
looking to adopt.
Oregonians Tim and Sari Gale, for example, originally were very
interested in adopting an infant. However, as they continued to look
into adoption, they could not get the images out of their minds of the
older children they saw in the brochures. ``We started to ask ourselves
why we would adopt an infant, when so many children were in need of
parents,'' said Shari. ``It started making more and more sense for us
to adopt an older child.''
Soon, Andrew became a member of the family. ``It has been heart-
warming and amazing to watch the gradual process whereby this
frightened little boy learned to love and to trust,'' observed a family
friend. ``Andrew has blossomed under the Gales' loving care.'' Watching
Andrew interact with peers at high school events or serving as a
counselor for other children at summer riding camp, one would never
guess this likeable and polite young man had spent his early years as
an abused and neglected child. The Gales truly are a testament to the
healing power of a loving family.
The Federal Adoption Incentive Program, which was first enacted in
1997 as part of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, encourages States
to find foster children permanent homes through adoption. The Adoption
Incentive Program is due to expire on September 30. Congress must
reauthorize this act so that it can continue to serve as a vitally
important incentive to States for finalizing adoptions for children in
foster care, with an emphasis on finding adoptive homes for special-
needs children and foster children over age 9. I am proud of Oregon's
success in finalizing more than 12,700 adoptions of children from
foster care between 2000 and 2006. This has resulted in Oregon
receiving $3.1 million in Federal adoption incentive payments, which
are invested back into the child welfare program.
In 2005, roughly 2,065 children from Oregon's foster care system were
adopted--but nearly 3,500 foster children in Oregon were still waiting
for adoptive families, and they waited an average of about 2\1/2\ years
to join a new family. These vulnerable children have waited long
enough.
Again, it is important that we thank foster care and adoptive
families in our Nation, as well as frontline workers who protect our
children, for the wonderful work that they do and love that they share.
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