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Foster children in Oregon who cannot be placed with family members in the state sometimes end up with relatives in other states or, in rare cases, other countries. Earlier this year, a series of Oregonian stories focused on the tragic results of one of those cases: Adrianna Romero Cram was placed with her father's relatives in Mexico in 2004. Her case was still under Oregon's jurisdiction when those relatives were convicted of murdering her a year later.
Her case led the state to place a temporary moratorium on sending Oregon foster children out of the country. That moratorium was lifted about a month ago, and now 10 children are slated to be sent to Mexico. Some state legislators are now working to pass two laws that would increase Oregon social workers' contact with people in other countries who can help them track the progress and well-being of children after they are sent abroad.
Have you worked with Oregon foster children? Have your children been adopted by families outside the state? How can Oregon ensure the well-being of children adopted across borders and state lines?
GUESTS:
- Susan Goldsmith: Investigative reporter for the Oregonian
- Beth Englander: Adoptions manager for the Oregon Department of Human Services
- Laurie Monnes Anderson: Oregon state representative (D-Gresham), chair of the senate Health Care and Veterans' Affairs committee and a registered nurse
Tagged as: adoption · dhs · family services
Photo credit: just Luh/ Flickr /Creative Commons
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The problem is that it's a nightmare to adopt a kid from DHS...so lots of kids don't get adopted. By anyone.
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My daughter would have liked to adopt her foster child, but the complexities of international adoption when the parents live in another country is challenging even if the parents had agreed to allow it. Since they did not, my daughter and her husband did not try. They may adopt her once she becomes an adult if that is what she wants then.
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Is there funding for these new requirements?
My daughter is the foster mother of a child from another country. The social worker here rarely checks on them. The child is a teen with a cell phone who could call the worker if needed, but it appears that there is not the money to do everything that is officially the law.
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As the photojournalist on Adreana's story in Veracruz and someone who has lived and worked in various places around Mexico, I'm left wondering how fully Mexican families understand what our Oregon institutions expect of them in these cases.
Mexico and the US have distinct legal and social service sysytems. In addition to cultural and linguistic differences, Mexican families may come from very different educational and economic backgrounds than our US case workers.
When talking face to face with Adreana's aunt/abuser in a Veracruz prison, she said that she thought she only would have to care for Adreana temporarily - until her brother (Adreana's father) got his act together. She complained that the money he sent the family in Mexico to help with Adreana was not sufficient.
Whether this is true or not, her words certainly raise a number of questions.
Faith Cathcart
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The Legislature's responsibility cannot be underestimated here. I work as a child advocate and have seen the Department of Human Services work hard to improve the child welfare system over the past few years; however, until the legislature accepts full responsibility for funding the system adequately, it must acknowledge that tragedies will continue to occur no matter how many laws are passed.
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I would love to hear someone say how wonderful most Mexican parents are with their children. I'm saying this because I know how some ignorant people think.
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Most Mexican parents are wonderful!
In fact, most parents are wonderful.
But, yes, from what I've experienced, the Mexican culture is one that treasures kids...extravagently!
Which is how it should be!
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Comments are now closed.
How can Oregon ensure the safety of these children once they leave the country? Or the state even? Shouldn’t the law be to find the safest option available for these children within the state?
Also, am I the only one who picks up a strong racial undercurrent? For example, had this been Britain, or Germany or France would the reaction be the same? It seems like it is BECAUSE it is Mexico there is even more reaction. Have there been instances where children were sent to Europe or elsewhere white and similar tragic consequences were experienced?