Year After Barahona Tragedy, DCF Says It’s Better Equipped to Spot Troubled Families
Tuesday marks the year anniversary of the Barahona case By Willard Shepard | Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 | Updated 2:48 AM EST On Tuesday, Jorge and Carmen
Tuesday marks the year anniversary of the Barahona case By Willard Shepard | Tuesday, Feb 14, 2012 | Updated 2:48 AM EST On Tuesday, Jorge and Carmen
Foster kids cut loose far earlier than our own BY FRED GRIMM FGRIMM@MIAMIHERALD.COM With so many adult children well into their 20s, even their 30s,
THE MIAMI HERALD | EDITORIAL No more Nubias OUR OPINION: Tougher child-protection laws should be the priority BY THE MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL HERALDED@MIAMIHERALD.COM If state
The Heart Gallery of Broward County is a traveling photography exhibit of foster children who are waiting to be permanently adopted. The Gallery is unique
orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-foster-care-age-020512-20120203,0,4992019.story OrlandoSentinel.com Don’t abandon foster kids — help them thrive February 5, 2012 Imagine abused youngsters growing up in Florida’s foster care system somehow morphing
By John Barry, Times Staff Writer In Print: Friday, February 3, 2012 TAMPA — Since he was born, Gabrielle Crawford fought his way through multiple birth
Take ‘ONE’ challenge to assist a child 01/30/2012 The JBA Adoption Section Co-Chairperson Hope Iseley The Florida Supreme Court Campaign “ONE” challenges each attorney to
January 27th, 2012 by Whitney Ray Only three percent of kids aging out of Florida’s foster care system receive a college degree. The state pays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mental health professionals will tell you there are children across the Tampa Bay area who have been through hell. Many have been ripped
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.