Misc ranting today

Our fifth left this morning. During her time here, she hit our cat, and kicked her as well. It's still hard to say a child cannot stay here. But sometimes you have to know what works in your home, and what you are willing to accept from a foster child. Hurting our animals has always been on our list of "will not accept".

We've only had children moved a few times. There was a teenage boy that still breaks my heart.He was successful for a period of time, and then he started to act out. He would storm out of my home, walk down the center of a busy road,curse at me, go after my husband, and bang on an adjoining wall he shared with Song. This would trigger her behaviors. He has been gone for over a year, but today Song remembered how she would (she acted this out) roll up in a ball when he started banging the wall. There are literally footprints on the ceiling and wall of his old room still. I don't know how they got there. Did he throw his shoes at the wall? Jump off his bed? I guess I haven't removed the marks because they still make me think of him. Knowing that it may cause some stress to Song will make me scrub that wall tonight.

I hate that he had to move. I wish I could have adopted him, and given him a home. I love him. Unfortunately, Song's needs had to be considered first. He, "R", has asked to have visits with us. I have also asked to have visits. We have been refused because we are no longer technically a therapeutic family. And here's why. See if you can see the irony in our story.

We quit our agency and went back to CYS after a therapeutic foster child we had for 2 years revealed to me that she and a boy at school were plotting to stab me because I wouldn't let them be together. This girl told her therapist, who didn't tell me. When I asked the therapist why, she said because she thought of "K" as a little sister. I handed in my letter of resignation, which was already typed, and went across the street to CYS.

I signed the necessary paperwork for them to contact my agency and get my clearances, and then called Corporate Compliance on the therapist. I received a call from Agency Headquarters asking me to return, I said no thank you, and was told we could return to the agency whenever we chose to. That was over a year ago. The therapist is still "R's" therapist, as well as "K's". Incidentally "K" is now asking to have contact with us, which we have refused.

As I have said before, it is a small town. I still deal with this agency when kiddos don't work out here and no other CYS family can take the child. Fifth has gone to this agency, as it is apparent she needs some therapy that this agency can offer her.

I won't name the agency. I feel they offer a great service to the community. Some children require more resources than CYS can offer. I am respectful to the personnel I used to work with. It is in the child's best interest. Is it not also in "R's" best interest to have contact with a family who is no longer with this agency at the fault of the AGENCY?