Foster Care as Punishment: The New Reality of ‘Jane Crow’
Maisha Joefield thought she was getting by pretty well as a young single mother in Brooklyn, splurging on her daughter, Deja, even though money was
We believe that all children have the right to food, clothing, housing, education, medical care, property and personal privacy.
Florida’s laws, policies and practices respect, prioritize and protect children and youth impacted by the child welfare, juvenile justice, and disability systems.
Maisha Joefield thought she was getting by pretty well as a young single mother in Brooklyn, splurging on her daughter, Deja, even though money was
For many teens still reeling from being taken into foster care, a cellphone is a lifeline, child advocates say. It’s their one connection to the
To the kids who stay with her, Kathryn Melendez is “Mom” or “Miss Kathryn.” Some of her teenage girls even call her “Bae,” slang shorthand
Hundreds of reports about potential child abuse may have been overlooked for months because of a Florida Department of Children and Families computer glitch. About
The agency that runs child welfare in Hillsborough County is closing a troubled out-of-hours teen center. Eckerd Kids announced Wednesday that it will terminate its
The plight of foster children forced to sleep on air mattresses in offices last summer led to outrage and the state ordering additional oversight of
The critical decision to remove a child from a home because of abuse or neglect is based on the work of child welfare investigators. But
One parent losing a job, being admitted to a hospital or struggling with addiction can be difficult for any family. For a single parent, however,
A foster mother has been arrested in the death of a 17-month-old boy who suffered apparent head injuries just weeks before he was likely to
Patricia Hunter has opened her home to children for more than 20 years. As a foster mom, she’s dealt with bed wetters and fussy eaters,
Florida child welfare workers too often remove children from their families without first providing counseling that could have kept them in the home, a recent
TAMPA — A federal agency has given the Florida Department of Children and Families 90 days to come up with a plan to improve its
As journalists, we are taught to be objective. Our instincts tell us not to cross that line between our professional and personal lives. Fair and
How kids wind up in the foster care system is pretty much the same across Florida. Investigators look into allegations of parents who are angry,
When Angela Dufrene and her twin brother were born on April 25, 2014, their mother’s troubled history was no secret to the state. Marjorie Dufrene
FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach)
Hello, My name is Alexia Nechayev. I am 25 years old and I am an alumna of Florida International University where I received my B.A. in Psychology. My future career goal is to be a Lawyer. I was in care for about one year from age 17 to 18. Prior to entering care, I only knew about the negative stigma regarding foster care and while in care that narrative was unfortunately my experience.
In school I felt like I was on display because my status in care was broadcast to other students and in my placement behavior was leveraged for “privileges” that should be a natural right of all children. Because I did not know my rights I did not know that what I was experiencing was wrong. Today this is exactly why I advocate, because I don’t want this to be the same for other youth who are experiencing foster care.
This is my second year on the FYS Statewide Board and I’m happy to be the Events and Meetings Chair this year because my main goal through advocacy is to reach as many people as possible. My favorite thing as a board member is to see how comfortable members become while working together. The community needs to know that youth in foster care are real people, going through some of the hardest moments of their life and youth need to know that their voice is powerful. I believe that we have to speak up and bring these issues to people’s attention so that they do not forget us. Advocacy, education and consistency is the only way.