When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills
(Chinese proverb)
The boys have been with us for over 10 months now. They met their new caseworker, Kate, on Thursday. She is young, but seems to have a no-nonsense approach to things. I had met her last Tuesday at an FCRB (Foster Care Review Board).
This is the second FCRB that we've had. They are a bi-annual event in which a group of representatives hears details about the case and then brings that information back to the judge. Herein lies a point of interest. Children under the age of 36 months are supposed to have a permanency plan within 6 months of the case being opened. Hmm, and yet, we're at our second FCRB?
Anyway, CPS and I were the only ones who attended the FCRB. Am I the only one who thinks it odd that the biological mother did not attend a very important meeting?! Since BioMom has another child in protective care, there was a lot of talk about him, and not so much about my boys. I left feeling as though I had wasted my time. But, I did get to meet Kate; and I was there to show my support for my little guys.
On Thursday we talked a bit more in depth. Kate had a ton of questions. I asked her if she got a think folder and she told that just for this case she was given 8 files about 2 inches thick each! Since there have been so many caseworkers, and since this is a two cases in one situation, information is hard to find and misfiled. I attempted to get her caught up with the case as much as possible.
Today was a big day in our household. MrBrawn started his first day of public preschool. We all got up early, and then loaded into the car to drive a couple hundred feet to the bus stop. He was so excited. As we got closer to the school bus, though, he clung tighter to my hand. By the time we made it to the doors, I had to pick him up onto the bus.
This was scary for me, too. This baby, whom I’ve been caring for almost a year, had to climb onto a huge school bus, much bigger than I remember them being, then go to a school site, get off the school bus, then be loaded onto a shuttle bus, and then delivered to his school. My heart was anxious as I anticipated his fear and all the newness of school. What if he didn’t know where to go? What if he got lost in the shuffle? What if he wandered off?
Today was an early day. He has early days for the first half of the week; Thursday and Friday are full days. True to first day of school form, his bus was nearly an hour late bringing him home. He had fallen asleep just before arriving home. As he wearily climbed off the bus he said to me, “Mom, I was on a couple buses today, I think like 4.” My heart swelled with pride that my 4 year old had gone out into the world and conquered it.
While MrBrawn was riding buses all over the county, all of us on the CFT (Child Family Team) had a teleconference this morning. This meeting should happen monthly, and recently has begun to. During the meeting we discuss the boys' strengths and improvements, needs, and any other points of concern. Also during this time CPS does a "staffing" in which all the "staff" (mental health workers, visit supervisor, CPS, etc) discuss the case plan and if the parents are following it.
For a while I have been frustrated because these little boys are traveling all over the place and are not able to be home at a decent time most nights of the week, but especially Wednesday which seems to create some naughty behaviors. We, as a team, were able to come up with a plan that they will now go to their mother's house one day per week for 4 hours, instead of 2 days per week for 2 hours. I am excited to see how this all works out!
After the meeting Kate called me to ask me some more questions. It is encouraging to have had so much contact from her already. She has apologized that the system has already let these boys down and she seems to have made it her personal goal to bring some type of permanency to their lives. And this is the part that I always get to..... I guess we'll wait and see.....
