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« Bush visit: Staying strong on staying in Iraq / Photo | Today | Bush visit: Bush takes his leave / Photo » June 28, 2007Child advocate files lawsuit for foster-care childrenPROVIDENCE -- With 10 Rhode Island foster-care children as plaintiffs, the state's child advocate filed a class-action lawsuit against the state "to protect the rights of approximately 3,000 children in state custody" from abuse and neglect. That's according to a news release, which says the suit aims to reform Rhode Island's welfare system. "The evidence is well-documented that abused and neglected children are not getting the protection and services that they need -- and are entitled to -- from the Rhode Island child welfare system," state Child Advocate Jametta Alston said in the statement. "Consistent with our obligation to protect the best interests of our state's children, this suit seeks to achieve systemic, sorely needed reforms." The suit is "Sam and Tony M. v. Carcieri," and the child advocate's office said it has hired law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Child advocacy organization Children's Rights, which has brought cases of the same sort in other parts of the country, is also involved, according to the release. The news release asserts: -- Rhode Island was the worst in the nation in the number of children abused and neglected while in state foster care in five of the six years between 2000 and 2005, and in the sixth year it was the second-worst. -- Children are put in "large, orphanage-like institutions rather than in homes, and are frequently left to languish there, sometimes for years." -- Caseworkers have "dangerously high caseloads that far exceed national standards and that endanger the children" the state has to protect. The child advocate says the problems with the state's systems are documented at www.childrensrights.org. -- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsLeah Hazelwood | June 28, 2007 6:03 PM link "My foster son, having just graduated from high school on June 19th, 2007, was all set to attend a local post secondary school, that specializes in trades (he has learning disabilities); but because of the changes in RI state policy and his loss of education funding, he will not have the opportunities that are available to others. If he was 17, the state would be screaming, "no child left behind," but at 18...adios! Leah Hazelwood | June 28, 2007 6:04 PM link I agree with this suit. WE tried to adopt for two years from the foster system in RI. We asked for a daughter, and did not care about race or age. In two years, we only met one child. He needed more help than we could offer. We moved to NC and ended up adopting internationally from China. Our daughter is 3. Our system is bogged down, b/c as we were told my the Urban League of RI, reconciliation is the main goal of the US foster system... Christy | June 28, 2007 11:53 PM link I agree with this suit. WE tried to adopt for two years from the foster system in RI. We asked for a daughter, and did not care about race or age. In two years, we only met one child. He needed more help than we could offer. We moved to NC and ended up adopting internationally from China. Our daughter is 3. Our system is bogged down, b/c as we were told my the Urban League of RI, reconciliation is the main goal of the US foster system... Christy | June 28, 2007 11:53 PM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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"My foster son, having just graduated from high school on June 19th, 2007, was all set to attend a local post secondary school, that specializes in trades (he has learning disabilities); but because of the changes in RI state policy and his loss of education funding, he will not have the opportunities that are available to others. If he was 17, the state would be screaming, "no child left behind," but at 18...adios!