Does anyone search for foster parents, in preference to searching for birthmother

I just found this thread. I was in foster care until I was 16 months old. I would LOVE to find my foster family. But I don't even know how to begin. Would someone help me?

Spitzlvr- I did so by contacting the agency that handled my adoption. Every state will be different. Good Luck.

I've just updated the story so far. It's very long and rambling but hope it will not put people of reading to the end. I'm just maybe starting to make some headway with the Barnardos now. It's a pity the only way to achieve that is with legal threats and by shaming them on the internet. [url]http://barnardos.harritt.net/barnardos/access/records/barnardos[/url] Robin Harritt [url]http://harritt.net[/url]

Just bringing this back to the top. Some of the links in the posts above might no longer work, you can see my story on the following links. [url]http://barnardos.harritt.net/[/url] [url]http://search.harritt.net[/url] [url]http://barnardos.harritt.net/barnardos[/url] Robin call +44 20 7871 1835 Fax +44 20 7691 9668 *

Just bringing this back to the top, again. Some of the links in the posts above might no longer work, you can see my story on the following links. [url]http://barnardos.harritt.net/[/url] [url]http://search.harritt.net[/url] Of interest to anyone who was involved with Barnardos (Barnardo's) in the past. [url]http://groups.msn.com/thebarnardofamilygroup/general.msnw?all_topics=1[/url] Robin call +44 20 7871 1835 Fax +44 20 7691 9668 *

i was foster parent in portland from 65 to 69 was eondering if any were looking for me wife has died but i'm still alive was wondering how they are doing today my name is melvin w. newell e-mail address under now wife's name veegee@aol.com thank you

As a former foster Mom from Florida, the comments I have read here about your foster families made my heart "feel good." I have contact with several of "my" foster children, but would LOVE to have contact with ALL of them. These children were a part of our family, and we loved them with all our heart. I have no doubt that your foster families would be thrilled to see, or hear from you. Rest assured that you have always been in their thoughts and prayers, and their love for you will never die. Good luck to each of you in your search, and God Bless You!!! Truly-Momma@webtv.net

I located and developed a relationship with my foster father for several years before his death... his second wife told me that it was one of the most important things that had happened in his life. Meeting him gave me some of the missing pieces and I think gave him the feeling that he really had done something good way back when. I finally feel that I can rest some of my "searching" ....I have filled in most of the gaps in my life.. with my reunions with bmother, bsiblings, extended bfamily and my foster father... sal

Sal, thanks so much for sharing your story with me. I truly know how happy your foster father was to have you come back into his life. Sadly, there are some "bad" foster homes out there, but most of us loved "our" children deeply and even though they may leave us through adoption or other reasons, they ALWAYS remain in our hearts and we are ecstatic when, and if, we are somehow reunited later in life. I actually go by the name, "Kip" - the user name on this forum however is, "Bradley." "Bradley" (Braddie as we called him) was a beautiful, precious foster child of ours who was returned to his bmom and stepdad over our VERY VOCAL objections just before he turned 2 years old (we KNEW he would be hurt if returned home). Our attempts to protect him fell of deaf ears, and 66 DAYS after his return to bmom, he was dead of repeated, horrific abuse. I sadly gave up my foster care license after that nightmare that still haunts us each day of our life. We have a website for Braddie if you care to see it - he was, and still is a beautiful little angel. [url]http://mywebpage.netscape.com/cloud9bambi/brad.html[/url] I hope your reunion with your birth family has been all you hoped for. I wish the laws would make it easier for families to find each other if child and parent desire to. Thanks again for sharing. ------ KIP

I am SO terribly sorry for the loss of such a beautiful child...just this summer in Madison, WI a 4 mos baby girl was killed by her mother even after medical reports stated that earlier injuries were due to abuse. It's appalling to me that Child Protective Services is so understaffed and so overworked as to not be able to protect children. I'm a special ed preschool teacher who has, unfortunately, had to report suspected abuse...which has ALL been verified...and then the child has been protected. I hope that one day taking care of children is funded FULLY.. and that there will be help available for parents that need it...My reunion IS everything that I had ever hoped and dreamed for... knowing my bmother, bsiblings, extended bfamily and my foster father has given me peace in my soul...sal

Sadly, these horror stories happen much more often than people realize, and it is quite common for the abuse to be verified by professionals. Yet, the child is left in the home, or is placed "under supervision" by DCF workers. There is no doubt that DCF is understaffed and overworked - they are doing a job that I personally would never do. I have known MANY excellent CPS workers who put their heart and soul into doing their very best to protect the children on their caseload. Then, unfortunately there are always the few workers who do NOT do their job; lie about seeing the children; etc., and those children are in extreme danger. In Braddie's case, the worker failed miserably!!! She would make visits to SEE Braddie after he was returned to his birth mom and NOT see him. She would either be "detained" in the yard by bmom and talk to her there - never going inside to see Braddie; or bmom would tell the worker that Braddie was with a g-parent or somebody else. These 'excuses' by parents are called "red flag warnings" and the workers KNOW to see the child "eyeball to eyeball," without exception, when this happens. Braddie's caseworker also lied to the judge on several different issues, and even withheld a psychological report from the judge which stated that Braddie should NOT be returned home. Due to these facts, plus others, Braddie's caseworker was the 1st caseworker in Florida to ever be charged criminally in a case. She was found guilty by a jury of a misdemeanor and a felony. After appeals the felony was finally dropped, but the misdemeanor stood. I personally know of several cases where the caseworker has lied about seeing the child who was "under supervision" in the home (even since Braddie's death). In one of those cases, the child was already dead and dumped on the side of the road DURING THE TIME that the caseworker said she was seeing him face to face. She too was prosecuted. I just wish they would all do their job "to the best of their ability" - that is all we can ask. Sadly, some children would still "slip through the cracks," and be killed or injured, but the numbers would not be nearly as high. I have great respect for the caseworkers who do their very best. How wonderful it would be if every child had a loving, safe home to call their own!!! I am so thankful that your reunion with your b-family and foster father was such a success. I have been blessed in being able to reunite one of "my" children who was a 15 year old bmom with the daughter she gave up for adoption - I had her baby too which bmom gave up at the age of 5 months because she realized she could not provide for her child. I had contact with each of them, plus the adoptive family, all these years. The adoptive family always told me that when the child was old enough, they wanted me to reunite bmom and daughter That day finally came when the daughter was 19 years old, and what a wonderful day that was. My heart was bursting with happiness for all of them. The 'child' (who now has a child of her own) has met all of her b-family now. I can't even begin to explain the joy in my heart when bmom and daughter were reunited. Please feel free to write me personally at Truly-Momma@webtv.net if you care to. I would love to hear from you. Take care and God Bless You and your family.

Hi Tricia, I'm new to this site but I think it is wonderful that you want to see your foster parents. We fodster a baby girl from 4 days of age until she was 10 months old. This was in the late 70's and foster parents had NO options. She was adopted and I have searched for her ever since. I will never stop searching as long as I live. If I am ever lucky enough to find her I will respect her rights and feelings. If she does not want to see or talk to me I can accept it and will accept it.

i last saw my foster family whem i was 2 1970,but i wish i knew who they were in okc to go see them.but i have no way of finding out bu t asking the dhs

where did you foster this child?okc i hope?

Keep looking for your foster parents--I can assure you they will be thrilled to hear from you! I recently had to send my foster kids home that I had for 12 months and I definetely love them. I always knew they would not stay permanently (my husband and I are too old to start a new family) and never dreamed I would end up loving them as much as my own children--but that is exactly what happened and it happened rather quickly (within the first few months). We all (including bio children) greived when they left and our family definetely has a whole in it. I hope to reuinite with them when they are adults and let them know how special they were to us.