Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 10, 1 October 1999 — Finding families [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Finding families

Foster children of Hawai'i look for loving families

To protect the identity of the children, their real names aren't used in thisstory. By Jayson Harper IT'S AN unusually breezy day in 'Ewa Beach. Lehua, Kai and Keoki play on an old swing set in their new foster parents' large backyard. Lehua and Kai are 7-old twins; Keoki, 5, is their younger brother. For most of their lives, the three have been in and out of different foster homes and as L--

many schools. A jet flies overhead, on its way into Honolulu airport. The adults in the yard, Auntie, the siblings' foster mother, and Suzanne Hull, their social worker, cringe at the roar of the engines. Lehua and Kai, undaunted by the sound, eontinue to battle with eaeh other over who ean swing higher. "I miss my brother. He puts salt and pepper on his spaghetti and meatballs. He's so weird." Kai says, "Why

can't I see him?" Hundreds of children like Lehua, Kai and Keoki need homes - permanent homes and foster homes until then. Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian children make up more than 54 percent of ehildren eligible and legally ffee for adoption. "On any given day 10 or more children need a foster home," says Hull In a week these siblings will start at another new school. Despite Auntie's reassurance that their new school will be great. the children talk fondly of their old school. Attempts to keep ehildren in their communities are made, but this is not always possible. "I miss my old school. I miss my friends, my teacher," says Kai. Social workers plaeing children in foster and permanent homes are faced with an uphill battle. "There are too many foster kids and not enough foster parents in the state," says Hull. Compounding the problem is the

number of children in need of homes with serious emotional and physical problems. "Eaeh time a child is relocated he or she feels rejection and has a tendency to blame herself or himself. Their self-esteem and ability to trust and bond is greatly affected," Hull added. "Eaeh move sets the child's development back one year," said Hull. Auntie has had 16 foster children pass through her doors. A retired educator, she is no stranger to children, and has raised four kids of her own. This sibling group has been with Auntie for a month and she has already picked up on a speech problem with Kai. She explains to the social worker how she

has been teaching Kai to speak more slowly and to think about what he is saying first, so his sentences are more complete. There are approximately 850 foster parents in Hawai'i; not nearly enough to meet the need. A Child and Family Services radio campaign was used last year to recruit prospective foster and adoptive parents for PRIDE, a training program. This year The Adoption Connection, a joint effort between the Judiciary. Department of Human Services and private agencies, is running a major media campaign to raise awareness about the need for more adoptive parents. Dora Dome, a part-time adoption attorney and a full-time Deputy Corporation Council for

tne cuy ana County, has three adopted children. "When you become a parent, regardless if it's a foster or adoptive parent, your priorities change. Your social life changes the things you do, the people you do things with totallv ehanee.

I always knew I would have kids but I always knew I would adopt kids," said Dome. "This is my way of helping to make a difference and contributing." "When I first started going to adoption agencies I didn't know anything about adoption. Most of the adoption agencies in Hawai'i handle international adoptions and I wanted a domestic child. At first it

was difficult to get what I wanted, The reason I got into the law practice of adoption was because I had such a horrible experience adopting my first kid," Dome added. Kai became part of a heart-breaking Hawai'i statistic this year. He was a victim of physical abuse while in foster care. The Department of Human Services and the poliee are currently investigating the incident after a teacher at Kai's former school noticed injuries and alerted Child Protective Services. Kai and his siblings were subsequently removed from the foster home. When foster or adoptive parents receive a child, they become partners with the state in the effort to maintain the child's well-being. A variety of support services are available. "If a child is born with drug exposure and has other emohonal or physical problems, he or See ADOPTION on page 16

™ \m

."7* ■ PHOTOS: JAYSON HARPET

(top) Playing in the sun, the children take advantage of the swings in their foster mothers backyard. (above) Keoni, Kai and Lehua follow the path of gecko as it crawls over some leaves in an old tool shed.

AD0PTI0N From page 15

she is already in programs to help them, or is referred to programs onee placed," said Cynthia Goss, acting supervi-

sor wun ine uepariment of Human Services Adoptions Unit. Several nonprofit organizations help foster and adoptive parents deal with the special needs of the children they care for. The Queen LiU'uokalani Children's Center offers

support for caregivers of Hawaiian children. ChUd and Family Services' PRIDE program trains prospective foster and adoptive parents to deal with medically fragile children. The eoah-

tion Nā Tūtū, helps grandparents who are raising grandchildren or other family members. "I believe things are getting better. The Federal 'Adoption and Safe FamiUes Act of 1997' has helped us provide permanency for our children

on a timely basis, said Goss. "Concurrent planning allows the department to help the family establish and main-

tain a sare nome at the same time the Department is also planning for the children's future. Unfortunately what hasn't changed is the increasing number of child abuse cases and the severity of those cases." Lehua, Kai and Keoki are looking

for a permanent home. If you or anyone you know would like to adopt these children, or would like to help others, eall Suzanne Hull at 832-5467. ■

aUnfortunately what hasn't changed is the increasing number of child abuse cases and the severity of those cases." - Cynthia Goss