Insights
6
Foster parenting : the most pro-life choice
May is Foster Care Month . On Guam , what does that mean ? It means the governor signs a proclamation citing how many children are in need of the love and care that their biological parents cannot provide for various reasons .
Various churches and organizations highlight the need for foster parents and hand out flyers . We all laud the 40 active foster families on our island ( as of this writing ), and tell each other how amazing and loving they are for bringing children in need of a chance at life into their homes and families .
To me , foster parenting is the ultimate pro-life stance .
Here are some more pro-life statistics for all of us . Forty active foster families are now housing 76 of the 406 children that our Department of Public Health and Social Services ’ Child Protective Services Unit has in its foster care system .
• Of those 406 children , minus the 76 in the foster homes :
• 202 are in relative placement ;
• 52 in non-relative placement ;
• 47 are in the parents ’ physical custody ;
• 5 are in treatment facilities ;
• 5 are at the Department of Youth Affairs ;
• 10 are in Alee Shelter ; and
• 9 are at Sanctuary .
Also provided in the information from CPS is that this year they ’ ve had a whopping total of three inquiries from families interested in becoming foster families and they ’ ve issued three applications to other families .
They ’ ve got one adoption court case ongoing and one adoption inquiry , and one court custody case .
Of course , this is a multifaceted issue , involving children having babies , parents dealing with drug and / or alcohol abuse or some other form of addiction , and / or children experiencing horrific
When these babies are taken away , what happens to them ? Who loves and nurtures them ? Who are their pro-life advocates ? abuse , either physical , sexual , or both .
The ultimate goal of CPS is to reunify families . But if we had more families willing to foster or adopt , I would advocate that courts not keep giving troubled parents multiple chances to get their lives together so that they could get their children back .
Why ? Because if foster care stretches into three , four , five years , is it really in the best pro-life interest of that child to yank the child from those who are often the only loving parents they have known , just because it has taken the biological parents so long to get their act together ? Of course not .
The system may lean toward reunification , generally within two years . But if the parents cannot get it together within two years , the court should terminate their parental rights so you don ’ t leave the children and their foster parents , who hopefully by this time want to adopt them , in limbo .
The lives of these children should be the primary focus . They are the ones who need love and guidance to break whatever cycle they ’ ve been born into . The parents , most of the time , have had their shot . Adoptions can be open , meaning the child can know their biological parents and have a relationship with them as long as it is safe for the child .
This final statistic from CPS is approximate . I am told that most foster families on Guam are either military families or families affiliated with Baptist or other churches . Wouldn ’ t it be wonderful if many of our Catholic prolife families would join in this mission ?
Foster care and adoption are the ultimate pro-life activities . These two options certainly seem more productive than holding up signs on street corners early in the morning until the sun becomes too hot . Advocating that all conceptions result in live births should certainly lead to wanting to help those babies born into circumstances under which they are taken away from their biological parents . Because the question is : When these babies are taken away , what happens to them ? Who loves and nurtures them ? Who are their pro-life advocates ?
If you are interested in becoming a foster family , please call 475-2653 . CPS regularly conducts virtual sessions about foster care . If you are interested in adopting an infant or a child who needs a loving home , you can call CPS or Ohala Adoptions , a non-profit adoption organization on Guam , at 688-4673 , or check out their website at http :// ohalaadoptions . org /.
Over 400 children in need of loving homes . Forty foster homes , each averaging two foster children . On Guam , our pro-life stance definitely needs some work .
Jayne Flores is the director of the Bureau of Women ’ s Affairs and a longtime journalist . Contact her at jayneflores59 @ gmail . com . rom the comment box
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