Hilary Cottam: Social services are broken. How we can fix them

"Well, the first thing I learned is that cost is a really slippery concept. Because when the government says that a family like Ella's costs a quarter of a million pounds a year to manage, what it really means is that this system costs a quarter of a million pounds a year. Because not one penny of this money actually touches Ella's family in a way that makes a difference. Instead, the system is just like this costly gyroscope that spins around the families, keeping them stuck at its heart, exactly where they are."

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Michigan HB 4188 - 4190 Adoption Discrimination

Private adoption and foster care agencies who took in close to 11 Million tax dollars last year are asking for the right to refuse services to people who don't conform to their religious beliefs here in Michigan. Governor Rick Snyder, has previously stated that he would veto this bill package, lets let him know that is the right decision for Michigan's children who have no right, at this point to refuse to be placed in care with agencies which discriminates against the child's firmly held beliefs or identities. This was my testimony from the Michigan Senate Committee on Families, Seniors And Human Services. "Hello, my name is Sunday Koffron Taylor, I am the vice president of the foster care alumni Association of America Michigan chapter. Vice-Chair of Farmington youth assistance and I am also a licensed Foster parent in the state of Michigan. Long before I ever became a foster parent I aged out of Michigan's foster care system, and it is wearing my foster care alumni hat that I am speaking with you today. It has not escaped the consciousness of the foster care alumni community that when legislation has been put forth affecting foster children and the child welfare system the Voice of those whom these policies and legislations will affect directly Are rarely if ever consulted. In this particular package of legislation it is our belief that if anybody involved has the right to have their religious freedom and or preferences honored, it would be those of the children involved. children in foster care have a right to not be used as pawns in anyone's religious or political agenda. Having an agency that provides foster care and adoption services is a choice. Being a social worker is a choice. Becoming foster or adoptive parents is a choice. The only people within the child welfare system with no voice and no choice, is the children, it is supposed to serve. I ask you, where would this legislation leave the Muslim child? The Buddhist, the agnostic, The Hindu the atheist child,do they not have the right to be placed in homes where their heritage, culture, identities, religions and religious freedom will at the very least be respected? what about the LGBT and questioning teen who comes of age to discover they are placed with in an agency who chooses to refuse to work with people like them? What are the rights of these children? And may I ask, who is looking out for their rights and religious freedoms? It is our belief that a foster care system needs as many varying types of foster homes as there are varying types of children within it. This legislation purports to allow service providers to follow their conscience, but in reality will allow those providers to ignore the best interests and rights of children in care by refusing to provide services to anyone who does not share their beliefs. We believe Discriminating against any qualified and willing Foster parent candidate will only hurt Michigan's children." Let Governor Rick Snyder know that Michigan's foster children are counting on him to insure that they are able to find homes that are right suitable for them, not a few that fall into the narrow confines of somebody else's "sincerely held" beliefs.

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If I Could Have My Childhood Back

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What Adults Can Learn From Kids

Please watch this!

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Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

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You STILL can't lose Christmas, Ralphie

"You can't lose Christmas.
That's it. No details. No exceptions. Period. Finito. That's that.
The same goes for birthdays.
I have literally said to my children, "You can burn the house down. We will move into a hotel until the house is rebuilt. We will collect insurance money, rebuy gifts and still have Christmas. Because you can't lose Christmas.""

You STILL can't lose Christmas, Ralphie - Christine Moers

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Some more to think about during Nation Adoption Awareness Month:

Please go read this article

Abusive parenting techniques to treat reactive attachment disorder

This is my comment in the proper order:

"I am really very saddened to see members of the attachment community come out and being defensive about a situation or several situations involving the abuse of adopted children post placement. This would be a wonderful opportunity to come out and discuss what is appropriate therapy for children suffering from “reactive attachment disorder” (RAD) or more commonly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There have been several cases of the abuse involving adopted children and the withholding of food. Three that I can think of that it made the news in recent weeks. In fact the state of Washington was so concerned with the growing number of cases of abuse involving adopted children that they commissioned a report and made recommendations: Severe Abuse of Adopted Children Report STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND OFFICE OF THE FAMILY AND HEALTH SERVICES CHILDREN’S OMBUDSMAN CHILDREN’S ADMINISTRATION. This is a growing and serious problem. The fact that so many of these cases have a set of common denominator is not a coincidence, and until we put it all together, speak about it honestly and work to find solutions to help children suffering from PTSD and or RAD children will continue to suffer at the hands of those who committed to give them a supposedly “better life.” As long as members of the “attachment” community continue to deal with these stories of this growing trend from a standpoint of defensiveness abuses with a root in “attachment therapy” will continue to happen. This is not a time for defensiveness and circling the wagons. This is a time to reassess to reevaluate what is and is not “therapeutic” and or what is or is not “abuse.” And a time to contemplate whether it is possible or likely that some suggested methods of parenting children reportedly suffering from reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are indeed coercive and could potentially if not easily spiral into abuse when employed by desperate parents."

This is what I would like every parent who has engaged in power struggles over food to watch...Food is about survival and it should never be used as control if you expect your hurt child to EVER trust you.

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