Black Parents Fight to Keep Their Children: Foster Care Bias Splits Black Families (cont.)

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Helen Jones, Nicolie’s mother, has petitioned for custody in case Nicolie loses, but the grandmother’s chances are slim. She was accused of hitting the children with a belt when they were placed with her in early 2002. The charge was determined to be unfounded, according to state documents, but Helen Jones has a feeling it will still count against her.

That may leave Nicolie to fight alone for her children. She wishes the tables were turned. “I’d like to see foster parents screened like biological parents,” she said. I’d like to see them (foster parents) have to take drug tests, have caseworkers show up at their door without calling. I’d like them to explain why they got men living in the house with little girls there. Every hoop they told us to jump through, we jumped. Everything they said to do, we did.”

But she still doesn’t have her children.

Sidebar: Giving Parents Support – and a Voice

 

Robin D. Stone, author of No Secrets, No Lies: How Black Families Can Heal from Sexual Abuse, is based in New York City.

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