Testimonials |
"This program is a blessing from God to me! I am a single grandmother seeking custody of grandchildren and cannot afford an attorney. I am grateful for this service."
"This is a great service. I appreciate it so very much. The staff was great and walked us through everything. I feel so very blessed to have had their help and support." |
Families in Transition Overview
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
In 2008, President Bush signed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act into law, which mandates that permanent placement with relative caregivers be preferred over placement in the foster care system for children who have been removed from a parent's care due to abuse or neglect. Children who grow up in the foster care system, as opposed to those placed within the family, are far more likely to experience teenage pregnancy, have issues with drug and alcohol, or become incarcerated as adults. The average annual cost to Texas taxpayers for a single child placed into the foster care system is $21,593.
Under the provisions of the Act, relative caregivers are to seek legal custody through the courts for the children placed in their care. The typical attorney's retainer for this type of suit generally ranges from $1,500-$3,000. However, no funds were allocated under the Act for families, such as senior citizens living on fixed incomes, whose limited resources prevent them from being able to afford to hire a private attorney. All organizations, including faith-based nonprofits, were encouraged under the Act to provide additional support to these newly-blended families to ensure their future stability as they face the myriad physical, psychological, emotional and financial challenges associated with taking on the responsibility of raising another family member's child.
In 2010, LMSS-Waco helped the self-representing relative caregivers of 107 children gain legal custody. Since then we offer such families the option of enrolling in our Families In Transition program, in which relatives are linked with one of our interns from the Baylor University School of Social Work. These interns can accompany the caregivers to court and sit with them as an emotional support person during their hearings before a judge. In addition, an assessment is done for all the family members to see what other support services may be needed. Clients of this program are then linked with other social service agencies or programs they may be eligible for that can help them to achieve greater stability as they plan for their futures.