Bright Idea on Foster Care from New Zealand

At least I found one thing that made sense today in AdoptionLand.

The US should follow this advice of a completely separate third party to monitor foster care. Some states have a government-employed ombudsmen, but an independent third party would be a better idea. I also like this idea for international adoptions.

“Too many children in foster care are emerging as victims  of sexual or physical abuse and sometimes even as criminals says   a former youth court judge.

One solution may lie in paying for a third party to monitor foster-children and ensure they’re safe, says Judge Carolyn  Henwood.

But Judge Henwood – who was meeting government and iwi [sic] representatives on Monday to discuss ways to improve the state of       foster care in New Zealand – says she doesn’t believe either the  state or Maori have the resources at the moment to fill that role.

A former youth court judge, she chairs the official Confidential  Listening and Assistance Service and says there’s not enough  monitoring at present of foster-care placements.

Her listening and assistance service provides a forum for people  who allege abuse or neglect, or have concerns about their time in  state care before 1992, including those from psychiatric  hospitals, health camps, child welfare care and special education  homes.

Judge Henwood says many foster children are moved from household  to household, and experience feelings of rage and abandonment.

About half of the 5000 children in state care are Maori and Judge Henwood says far too many foster children suffer sexual and physical abuse and fall into a life of crime.”

Third-party eye needed for foster care – judge

[Radio New Zealand 6/25/12]

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