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I am a foster parent who had a homeless 14 year ol girl placed with her in Sept. By October she had run 3 times, stolen jewlery, money, and eaten everything in sight. She said she liked being homeless. She liked the freedom. I've had foster kids steal from me before and eat me out of house and home but, this girl was different. She had a diiferent demeaner and attitude. There were no boundaries, nothing was sacred. What do homeless youth really want?  This girl didn't want warmth, safety, food, or help. Is she what the average homeless youth is like?

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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I am a retired child psychologist who has been doing foster care for the past four years. I work with at-risk-teen girls. I can relate to all that has been said. This is a 24/7 365 day a year job. The girls I have try to sneak out windows, do drugs, drink, skip school, steal, lie, run away, cut themselves, and overdose to name a few of their behaviors. I am happy the rates have gone up. I have only been through the CANS process once. It took over 2 hours to complete. The thing I do like is that the special rates will follow the child and the new foster parent won't have to wait forever to get paid. I have lost  $3,000.00  plus because the DHS worker did not do the paperwork on time and the State will only go back 3 months in payment. The money we get is to cover food, clothes, sundries, allowances, and sports. The children get two clothing allowances over the number of years they are in foster care. We need changes.These are difficult kids and believe me even with my training these girls can be trying. I hear what is being said. Now is the time to focus on a solution. What needs to be changed, what type of training is needed, how do we do the training are only some of the questions to be answered. So, in the best possiblie world what would a good to great foster care system look like? Maybe a topic for another show.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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