Vancouver Sun columnist Vivian Luk published at 1:18 AM of August 21, 2010 that aspiring concert pianist Frankie Bones, a foster child from Surrey has been permitted by MCFD to study music at Walla Walla University in Washington State.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Piano+prodigy+granted+permission+study/3426920/story.html#ixzz0xFBmJh4Z
Saturday, August 21, 2010
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Was there not a commenter the predicted a follow-up to this story and even suggested the rosy-posy outcome?
ReplyDeleteFoster care is clearly a Good Place To Be.
I bet all foster care homes are like this.
I think the foster parents do not get paid enough.
Children should get to stay in foster care past 19.
My crack-head neighbor's noisy children need to be in such a foster home, so how do I arrange this?
Can I put my kids in foster home from 9am to 5pm, as they need protection during these times. How do I arrange this?
If I put my kids in foster home temporarily when they graduate, can MCFD please send them to Harvard until age 19 and even later? I'll take a course while they are there to improve my parenting skills.
So, if a child stays in care with the same person for 15 years, isn't that the same as adoption? What am I missing here?
Incidently, I noted the "news" article did not have a comments section, so I emailed the author with my comments. Perhaps other like-minded individuals could also congratulate the writer on what a fine article this is, and ask if there is a facebook page or blog to post comments.
If this is in fact a legitimate news story, it's interesting to note how quickly the Ministry changed their mind once the head of the NDP got involved (she herself is a former foster parent). So, the foster teenager gets to go to Washington, yet countless families in BC can't even get an audience with Carole James, never mind action from her. Interesting to also note that James is a former foster parent. No doubt this will be used at some point to further someone's career, or agenda.
ReplyDeleteTo both Anons 10:42 AM and 11:22 AM but particularly 10:42 AM,
ReplyDeleteSarcasm is ever present in literature, particularly in English literature. Sarcasm is a literary bed-fellow of satire and irony and is used almost exclusively as a humorous device. Usually sarcasm is used to simply subvert the original meaning of what is being said. That's what you have done but I don't find it comedic. I posted the news for several reasons. First, I was glad for the young man. Second, I was pleased by the foster mom's initiative and determination over 18 yrs and particularly with regard to this issue. Third, it revealed once again the lopsidedness of MCFD's bent to control that some director would tell the MCFD lawyer to write a threatening letter saying that the police may be called in, and that the child may be removed. Fourth, the media conference held at the family's church brought loud public attention that demanded MCFD action. It wouldn't surprise me that Victoria called a director to say, “get this right quickly!”
Do you see how your sarcasm was a clever piece but but diminished the good news.
Don't give Carol James too much credit for this victory just so you can criticize her on another account because as I have said, I expect foster mom's public exposure of MCFD's slow-mindedness had more to do with this than James. But who knows she may turn out to be another parent's ally too.
It appears a recent re-publishing of this story has opened up the story to comments. I counted 9 as of this writing.
ReplyDeleteThe comments are generally congratulatory towards the boy and the foster parent, and a high level of derision for the Ministry. The foster parent does indeed deserve considerable large credit for going public.
This story version shows a video of the boy playing and speaking, and it really is quite remarkable it left me in awe after the video ended. Zabeth will no doubt like watching this as well.
http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Piano+prodigy+Frankie+Bones+granted+permission+study/3425040/story.html
The lack of contact from the foster parent with the social worker, and lack of interference is likely a large reason why the boy did so well. Not being moved as a lot of other children are, not being put into group home, and no micro-management of care seems to have benefits.
20 years is a remarkable length of time to be a foster parent. The two times per year the social worker "checked in" and after all this time the reward for the foster parent is a threat to call the police?
If the social worker involved is allowed to have continued contact with this foster parent, I would really would fear for the future of this home.
Clearly this is a very capable, caring and confident, attached foster parent that has the ability to parent a child to this level that would have many other parents (including myself) envious of her accomplishment. Good for her that she is brave enough and has the force of will to call the Ministry on their B.S.
This is not a child in need of "protection." This is an aspect of the Ministry that needs to separate "care," from protection that should involve police action and criminal charges.
A foster home like this is not the kind of home that require concern or much attention. However I'm surprised that at least monthly visits would not be done to ensure the home is keeping up to a standard of care.
If another home with a less vigilant foster parent had the same 2-visits yearly, this would likely be an atrocity waiting to happen.
I don't often employ sarcasm, however this story does affords priceless opportunity to skewer MCFD. On this blog it is safe to let fellow commenters take care of authors who go off the deep end in their criticism or favouratism.
ReplyDeleteA member of the public having no prior knowledge of the ministry reading the Sun story would absolutely get the impression foster homes are carefully managed facilities that take better care of children than most natural parents, and wonder about the lucky children that benefit from such facilities. MCFD could not ask for better publicity. Here, an individual, apparently over-zealous, and at the same time, inattentive social worker could be labeled as someone that is not representative of the Ministry.
While sarcasm is indeed present and intended, there is not and ounce of comedy present or implied. THAT, is most certainly a matter of personal interpretation.
Given the target audience, who I would estimate is primarily made up of affected parents and those critical of child protection, there is a very solid and grim reality in the cynical observations and questions posed.
Jumping on the bandwagon on a great story simply to further offer congratulations might be all well and good, but the general expectation in reference such stories posted is to have us look at them with a critical eye and offer our analysis of reading through the lines.
The wealth of information presented in this story offers rare insight into yet another aspect of Ministry operation this blog has not yet touched on in great detail.
This aspect of which I speak is concerned with quality control of foster care facilities. The number of questions about MCFD operations that come to mind with this seemingly simple story are surprising.
Twice yearly visits by the designated custodial guardian? Good god! What standard of care is being followed here? Clearly, it would appear that this case represents a success story of a child in care DESPITE MCFD's existence, not because of it.
Threatening a clearly dedicated foster home facility with police action? How often does this happen?
There was a comment in the Sun story the boy would age out of the system. How many foster homes maintain contact with their long time charges after the leave? What "family" does the boy have once the foster parent no longer has authority or financing to care for him.
How does MCFD manage to extend their authority over the border in demanding a police check on a teacher? Can parents demand police checks of teachers, and if so, is it really warranted if the foster parent vouches for this individual.
The standard "can't comment due to privacy concerns" -- are not the foster parents forbidden in putting "MCFD's" childen on TV and criticizing the Ministry? That sounds like suicide. The Baynes sufferred immensesly for this transgression.
The foster parent must have felt herself on thin ice, and saw the writing on the wall as to her future with MCFD when they threatened to call police. Is there a mix of fear mixed in with the outrage at MCFD interference where they previously expressed little interest in the boy?