Candie Farquhar, foster mother from Sterling, CO, was very clear about fostering not being for everyone.
"It's really tough," said Farquhar.
When asked about the negatives of foster care Farquhar said, "It's exciting to get them but then it hurts when you see how damaged they are and how sad they are."
However, Farquhar spent much more time expounding on the best parts about fostering.
"For the first two years she would send me the sweetest note and text on Mother's Day, that she loved me and was thankful for what we did," said Farquhar on her favorite part of fostering, using a previous foster child as an example of how some of the children get so attached they want to stay in touch with their old foster parents.
Attorney Lori Hulbert said, "I'm here for the children's best interest so when a case ends it's always a happy ending from the best interests of the children."
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Foster Care in Colorado Primer
The foster care situation in Colorado is not a good one but it seems to be improving.
The latest count by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has the number of children in foster care in the 2013 fiscal year at 5,851.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2013 estimate of population in Colorado is 5,272,086. That makes the number of children in foster care in Colorado an entire 0.11 percent of the Colorado population.
This is a big improvement from the 0.17 percent of the population in foster care in 2004, with a total Colorado population of 4,601,403 according to the Census Bureau and the number of foster children at 8,196 according to the ACF.
Candie Farquhar, a foster mom, and Lori Hulbert, an attorney that deals with numerous child custody-related cases, have consented to be interviewed more on their experience with foster care in Colorado.
"Our system is designed to make sure that it's a good event for the children and that their best interest is always taken into consideration," said Hulbert.
The latest count by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has the number of children in foster care in the 2013 fiscal year at 5,851.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2013 estimate of population in Colorado is 5,272,086. That makes the number of children in foster care in Colorado an entire 0.11 percent of the Colorado population.
This is a big improvement from the 0.17 percent of the population in foster care in 2004, with a total Colorado population of 4,601,403 according to the Census Bureau and the number of foster children at 8,196 according to the ACF.
Candie Farquhar, a foster mom, and Lori Hulbert, an attorney that deals with numerous child custody-related cases, have consented to be interviewed more on their experience with foster care in Colorado.
"Our system is designed to make sure that it's a good event for the children and that their best interest is always taken into consideration," said Hulbert.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Recap #1
After finishing a hearty meal of chicken pot pie from scratch, David Blakely started on the day's dirty dishes.
He rejected offers of help from his two children. He said, they made a great meal for me and so I will do the dishes.
Blakely appeared to start out lightheartedly, a smile on his face as he responded. His words were surprisingly serious.
He said, "I always remember as a child my father taught me that there's no such thing as women's work. Men can do the dishes. He literally said they're going to figure out how a man can give birth and then we should be doing that work too. There isn't anything that only a girl should do."
Blakely looked right at his daughter as he said this.
In no time at all Blakely finished the dishes and while he did not look ecstatic, he looked no worse for wear.
He rejected offers of help from his two children. He said, they made a great meal for me and so I will do the dishes.
Blakely appeared to start out lightheartedly, a smile on his face as he responded. His words were surprisingly serious.
He said, "I always remember as a child my father taught me that there's no such thing as women's work. Men can do the dishes. He literally said they're going to figure out how a man can give birth and then we should be doing that work too. There isn't anything that only a girl should do."
Blakely looked right at his daughter as he said this.
In no time at all Blakely finished the dishes and while he did not look ecstatic, he looked no worse for wear.
Preview #1
After a long day at work, one usually looks forward to going home to relax and avoid any more work. Unfortunately, David Blakely, a mental health counselor with the Sterling Correctional Facility, is returning home to more work in the form of household chores, namely washing the dishes.
According to him, dishes are one of the chores he cares least for.
"No, ironing I find therapeutic. Not the dishes," Blakely said.
"What does doing the dishes make me feel," he said, "Tiredness, boredness, sometimes indifference."
Blakely took over dishes duty because his wife has a skin condition, a form of eczema that prevents her from interacting with detergents long-term.
However, hope for relaxation may not be lost, Blakely may not end up hating the activity.
Blakely said, "There is at times satisfaction when [the dishes are] all done."
The question we all want an answer to is: will this be one of those times?
According to him, dishes are one of the chores he cares least for.
"No, ironing I find therapeutic. Not the dishes," Blakely said.
"What does doing the dishes make me feel," he said, "Tiredness, boredness, sometimes indifference."
Blakely took over dishes duty because his wife has a skin condition, a form of eczema that prevents her from interacting with detergents long-term.
However, hope for relaxation may not be lost, Blakely may not end up hating the activity.
Blakely said, "There is at times satisfaction when [the dishes are] all done."
The question we all want an answer to is: will this be one of those times?
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