Shattered! Scattered! Scared!
by Franci Hart
Our children in foster care have been shattered by so much trauma. They are separated from the siblings. And, they are scared!
During the State Fiscal Year 2022, in Oklahoma a total of 13,921 children were confirmed as victims of maltreament and 2,525 of those were from Oklahoma County. Breaking down these numbers by age group provides a clearer picture:
- Infants (under 1 year old): 2,195 children, accounting for 15.77% of the total.
- Toddlers (ages 1 and 2): 1,971 children, making up 14.16%.
- Young children (ages 3 to 6): 3,365 children, representing 24.17%.
- School-age children (ages 7 to 11): 3,298 children, comprising 23.69%.
- Adolescents (ages 12 and older): 3,090 children, or 22.20%.
- Unspecified age: 2 children, less than 0.01% (no date of birth or age provided).
These figures highlight the widespread impact of maltreatment across all age groups, underscoring the urgent need for support and intervention.
The CDC defines Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years) and can include a range of experiences such as experiencing or witnessing violence, abuse, neglect, or having a family member attempt or die by suicide. They also encompass environmental factors like substance abuse problems, mental health issues, and instability due to parental separation or household members being in prison.
While it’s true that children in foster care are at a heightened risk of having experienced ACEs compared to their non-foster care counterparts, not all children who experience ACEs end up in foster care.
Children in Oklahoma are placed in foster care primarily due to unsafe conditions, abuse, or neglect in their homes, or when their parents are unable to care for them. The state’s child welfare system faces https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/index.htmchallenges such as a shortage of foster families, which sometimes forces children to be moved far from their home communities, adding strain to the children, foster parents, caseworkers, and families working towards reunification. This shortage is particularly acute for teenagers, siblings, and children with disabilities or severe trauma.
When families are not established or reunification efforts fail, the outcomes for children can be varied and complex. Children may experience multiple placements and, in some cases, long-term stays in the foster care system. The lack of stable, permanent homes can impact their emotional and psychological well-being. Efforts are made to achieve permanency for these children through adoption or guardianship. If permanency is not established before children turn 18, the outcomes for these young adults can be concerning. Many may end up homeless, jobless, or encounter legal trouble. Nationally, it’s observed that by the time former foster youth turn 24, they are less likely to be employed and earn less money overall. They are also more likely to end up in prison, experience homelessness at 18, and have a high rate of early pregnancy
I have to admit this is an issue I had not focused on. When it comes to childhood trauma, I liked to pretend it does not exist. Yet, it is a very real issue that needs real attention.
This past year, Rotary has had some wonderful programs about agencies that are addressing ACEs. And I learned a lot from them.
In addition, I serve as president of Hope for the Future (H$TF), a nonprofit that is working to help families reunite. Our mission is to provide a safe, welcoming, home-like setting where children in foster care engage in court-ordered, supervised visitations and stay connected with their families.”
We offer eight spacious visitation rooms, thoughtfully designed with comfortable furniture and age-appropriate games and toys for visitations between children and their biological parents. To ensure privacy, we use video monitoring from a separate control room, allowing Child Welfare Specialists to oversee family interactions discreetly.
For families who need it, we have a kitchenette where they can heat food or grab snacks if they cannot bring their own. Additionally, we have partnered with Amazon to provide essential supplies: food, new clothing, shoes, personal hygiene items, and cleaning supplies.
While HFTF primarily serves children in Oklahoma County, we ensure that our services are available to any county in need, thus making certain that no child is left without the support they require. Monthly, we cater to around 75-80 families, which includes 158-165 children, with 1 to 3 hours. These families are set up for weekly visits at HFTF, until such time that the court orders the visitation to be conducted in the parents’ home.
At H4TF we are offering children in foster care a hope for a better future.