The Success Factor that Fills Me with Hope

One day last week during spring break, I noticed a tall, lanky young man walking along the driveway to the outdoor plaza accompanied by one of our therapists. I recognized him as one of our former residents, and was pleased I would have the opportunity to greet him before I headed off to an appointment.

In the months since he’d left Hillsides to live in a foster home at age 13, I’d heard that his return to the community had been challenging for him.  Like many of our residents he can be impulsive, single-minded, and easily misunderstood. His foster mom is a very unassuming woman who is consistent, patient, and very understanding, but in spite of her support he found himself being disruptive in school and was eventually expelled. At one point his behavior required the involvement of the local police department and he was referred to the juvenile justice system. As I would hear reports of how things had spiraled out of control for him, I worried for his well-being and what would become of him in the long- term.

So I was thrilled to see him. He looked good, and engaged easily in our conversation.  I was happy to learn that in spite of his recent challenges, he is now back with his foster mom, attending school, and no longer under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system.

It is not uncommon for children and youth who have been in treatment to experience setbacks.  However, with proper attention and care, those setbacks can be mitigated and gains restored. This youth’s visit to Hillsides to check in with his long- time therapist was just one way that he reconnected with the progress he had made while in our program. It was also an opportunity for him to know that no matter what, he was welcome here and would always be supported.

I remember speaking to him while he was living at Hillsides.  I can still hear his plea to find a family where he could belong. Both he and his sister had lost their biological parents to addiction and severe mental illness. After considerable effort, he was fortunate to find a wonderful foster parent who was willing to support him despite the challenges.

Studies show that the most decisive factor in the success of foster children is having at least one adult who can be a consistent presence in their lives.  In spite of the horror stories that trigger our outrage of children abused and neglected in the foster care system, it is heartening to know that there are wonderful foster parents who, without much fanfare, serve as an indispensable refuge for such youth. It is within such a home that dreams of happiness and success are nourished and can be fulfilled.  This fills me with hope about the future of this youth, and I look forward to catching up with him the next time he returns for a visit. 

Why this maintenance failure is making headlines

The recent headline in the Los Angeles Times said it all: “Plight of 2 toddlers puts spotlight on L.A. County family program.” The lead identified toddlers found wandering the busy streets of South LA, hungry, dirty and neglected, mom oblivious to their absence, and the subject of the Department of Children and Family Services’ efforts to help maintain her family. How could this be?

There is a philosophical approach in child welfare practice that, all things being equal, values family unity.  As a result, there is an emphasis to assist families where there may be evidence of abuse or neglect to address their dysfunction and rebuild a stable home. In many instances the interventions employed to achieve this worthy goal are less traumatic for the child and family, leverage the good will and intention of the parents and larger family unit, and lead to a long-term stable environment. One such program is DCFS’ Family Maintenance, which the mother of the toddlers was enrolled in.  However, while this approach may be less intrusive and relatively inexpensive than removing a child and securing him or her in a foster or group home, it is nevertheless a very labor-intensive approach.  It requires expertly trained social workers and other professionals who need to make the successful restoration of a family their exclusive focus.

Assuming the accuracy of the Los Angeles Times article, clearly this mom was not a good candidate for this program. Given her struggles, she needed support beyond what was available. Somehow, insufficient assessments led to a poor judgment about the kind of care required to keep her children safe. As a result these impressionable toddlers have been traumatized and their safety jeopardized. Disaster was averted not by an expert social worker, a veteran social service administrator, or a gargantuan child welfare system but because of an observant bystander who could not walk away from the plight of these two toddlers in need.

As DCFS Director Philip Browning is quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times, “Something didn’t work here.”  Given the DCFS fact sheet states there are more than 13,800 children in this program, the chances are that there are a number of other cases like this one where, no matter the good intentions of the County, the end result is that children are being neglected, the risk of abuse is significant, and children’s long-term well-being is being sacrificed.  What is being done to assure that the other children in this program are not subjected to the same trauma?

Immediate action is called for. Without knowing how DCFS has responded to this outcry, a number of strategies should be engaged: 

• All cases in the Family Maintenance program should be reviewed, and a rigorous assessment made as to the family’s appropriateness for this particular service. 
• Social workers involved in this program should be engaged to identify the supports and structures needed to effectively render services to children and families in this program. 
• A heightened sense of vigilance and urgency should prevail until all these cases are reviewed and appropriate treatment determined. 
• Additional resources may need to be employed to conduct this review in a timely fashion.

This process should be conducted in a transparent way, providing the public assurances that these tragedies will be avoided.

In 30 years working in the child welfare system I have rarely met a parent or family who cannot be engaged to assure the well-being of their child. That being said, we must not be naïve.  The challenges faced by these families are great and the efforts of those who serve them and their children are significant. For all parties involved, this must be an exclusive commitment driven by a desire and hope to see children thrive and be successful. However, the effort is well worth it. At Hillsides, our staff joins with families to accompany them through a difficult journey characterized not only by challenges and heartbreak but also by breakthroughs and achievement. It requires constant attention, diligent, consistent care, and an overall belief that hope can be restored.

We eagerly await not only whatever actions DCFS will introduce to address the failure of the Family Maintenance program but also the findings of the Blue Ribbon Commission appointed by the County Supervisors to review the county child welfare system. Regardless of the findings, I suggest that the remedy to DCFS’ woes has mostly to do with the lack of resources needed to implement the well-intended programs.  More than anything else there is no substitute for well-prepared, experienced workers who have the resources necessary to effectively intervene in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community like the two toddlers found wandering the street.

Why this decision by a children’s judge called for order in the court

A while back I asked a trusted advisor what would be the most effective  way to influence the child welfare system, he responded by saying that I should get involved in the judicial system where so many decisions are made regarding children in the State’s care. It was good advice and, as a result, I have begun to pay more attention to the court’s role in determining the services provided to the children and youth for whom we care.

This past week the efforts to establish a more open court room environment by the presiding judge of the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court, Michael Nash, was thwarted by a decision from the California appeals court to bar the press from covering juvenile dependency court hearings.

The fact that few journalists took advantage of Judge Nash’s open court is a mute point. His intent was to introduce another level of accountability into the judicial process and the child welfare system to observe total transparency. Given the convoluted nature of both systems such a dramatic approach would seem warranted. As laudable as Judge Nash’s effort were, the ruling to bar the press from such proceedings seems prudent. This judicial reversal should in no way diminish Judge Nash’s extraordinary legacy of advocacy. Without some effective measures of accountability the courts and child welfare system go unchecked in their well-intended, but often misguided efforts to serve the best interests of children and youth.

I agree with the California appeal court's ruling and would suggest that we need to find another way to hold the child welfare system accountable other than to introduce reporters into the court room. Perhaps what might be more effective is the development of public advocates whose sole purpose would be to assure that not only children’s rights are safeguarded, but that blatant inadequacies of the child welfare system are exposed. The mandated presence of such advocates in the court room may very well create the kind of transparency that Judge Nash so daringly introduced.

For the youth that appear in Juvenile Dependency Court, over exposure is a way of life fueled by their personal “entries” into social media mechanisms. The last thing any one of these vulnerable children need is a reporter using their case as justification for an exposé. While such cases may serve to concretize a particular point of view it does so while revealing the darker side of their stories. Such exposure can negatively define a person for life and, if nothing else, can be a source of embarrassment and shame. Often those we serve at Youth Moving On, a program for youth transitioning out of the fostercare system, are held back from attaining meaningful employment because of youthful indiscretions that have become part of their public record. While seeking transparency and accountability, we must not forget that lives can be significantly jeopardized by unwanted and gratuitous exposure.  

And the winner is...

This past Sunday, Lupita Nyong’o won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role as Patsey in “12 Years A Slave.” She ended her acceptance speech by saying, “When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.” Many know her story of being born in Mexico, raised in Kenyan, and a graduate of Yale School of Drama. It is an unlikely story of a woman who looked beyond what others saw as limitations to become an acclaimed actress. She was able to see her achievement as not only an indicator for herself, but indeed for “…every little child.” To acknowledge that dreams can be realized speaks to the true role model she is for all young people, especially for those who struggle against hardship, injustice, and discrimination. In such a surreal moment, Lupita has become a hero for many.

February came to a close at Hillsides with a celebration of Black History Month. The recreation center was filled with displays from each cottage depicting African-American heroes, who by their examples contributed to the freedom that all Americans enjoy today but especially those of color. Each cottage chose a significant person throughout history to study. Those selected to be profiled were Mohammed Ali, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, and Tupac Shakur.

When asked about Maya Angelou, one of our 11-year-old residents explained that he admired her because of her inspirational poems about freedom, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” which reads, in part:

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Whether it is Angelou, now Nyong’o, or any of the other heroes selected, theirs are the stories of adversity confronted and achievements reached even though some dreams are still not fully realized. They are stories that inspire none-the-less and encourage each of us, especially those we serve, to embrace their dreams and strive to see them fulfilled. 

We measure our success at Hillsides not just in improvement scores, graduations, and family reunification.  We measure our success when dreams can be, once again, embraced and hope for their fulfillment is restored.