My parents got the call a week before Christmas. 2 year-old picked up from a drug raid - would they take her? Just for a night? They were over capacity but my mom and dad welcomed her in. She was filthy and smelled of drugs. My mom and I gave her a bath and put her to bed.
The social worker called the next afternoon - they found a home for Bella and her baby brother together and we were excited. My dad put her in the social worker's car later that evening and he will never forget the way she looked at him when he buckled her in and closed the door.
6am the next morning, the house phone rang. The new foster mom who now had two kids under 3 was a wreck. The placement worker had lied - telling her that both children were legally free and able to be adopted, that they had no behavioral issues, were easy kids, etc. In reality, the kids were years away from parental rights being terminated and nothing was known about their behavior. The baby screamed all night and Bella, having no real schedule, wandered around her house at all hours. At 2am she was getting into cupboards looking for things to eat, which is very common for kids pulled from neglect situations.
Could my dad please come pick Bella up? He happily did.
I remember my dad carrying little Bella back into our house that day. She was wearing a shower cap (her little head was being treated for scabies) which made her look so small, and her eyes were sad. She was broken. Even though she was so young, Bella knew that she was being shuffled around.
Incredibly, a placement worker called my parents that day, saying they were going to move her again, maybe there was another temporary placement that would take both kids, etc. etc.
My dad said no. He told the worker they would be keeping Bella with them through the holidays until things calmed down and they could find a placement option that would actually be successful. Bella stayed with us through Christmas and loved every minute of it. The department found a placement for her shortly after the holiday hustle and bustle that was actually a good option for little B.
Bella's story is the story of Safe Place. We now have a place that welcomes kids right from the drug raid. We take them to the doctor to treat them for lice, scabies, and everything else. We settle them down and take notes on their schedules, what toys they like, and any behavioral issues they face (like nighttime wandering).
Safe Place allows social workers time to find the best foster home for them. Sometimes, like in Bella's case, the social workers need more time to find the perfect home for our little friends.
We are currently licensing short-term foster homes to care for children when they leave Safe Place. This gives the department a little more time to get background checks on family members, or wait for a spot in a long-term home to open up.
Could you be one of those homes?
Our short-term foster families are called Selah Homes. Your family becoming licensed as a Selah Home could mean the difference between stability and shuffling for our state's orphans. We will shower you with resources - diapers, clothing, and other needs. Your foster kids who come from Safe Place will arrive with a file of information about their bedtimes, favorite foods, and any behavioral concerns if there are any. We will treat any instances of lice or scabies. We're here to support you.
Being a foster parent's isn't easy, but the things that are most important rarely are.
On Saturday, April 5th, we will have a fundraiser event for our Selah Homes. Come to hear what we're doing, how to get involved, and support us financially. You can register here:
A Sweeter Life Registration
For specific information about becoming a Selah Home, you can email Hand in Hand at info@handinhandkids.org. I'm also always willing to talk to people about foster care...leave your email in the comments and I'll contact you personally :)
You can do this. You can be the voice of a child.
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