(Posted 2022 October)
At only 2 years old, Harper* was separated from her birth mother and father, Stacy* and Jonathan*, due to their ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues. She was immediately placed into a Department of Family Services foster home.
Harper’s birth family was vegan, and she was still breast feeding. The foster care specialist and foster parents worked with Harper’s mother, Stacy, to ensure that adequate breast milk and vegan food choices were available to Harper in her foster home. During visits, Stacy provided weekly snacks and meals for Harper to enjoy in her foster home. Diana* and Thomas*, the foster parents, provided weekly updates to Stacy about how Harper was doing in the home and would encourage picture drawing and hug time at the end of the visits.
Stacy often presented with erratic behavior and was unable manage her emotions during structured visitation time with Harper. Stacy‘s repeated loss of control led to increased concern for Harper’s safety around her mother. Stacey was unwilling to engage in treatment for herself and denied any safety concerns existed for her daughter.
However, it was during this time that a drug screen revealed that Stacy was taking unprescribed medications that exacerbated her mental health symptoms. Meanwhile, Jonathan*, Harper’s birth father struggled to maintain consistent contact with her. He continued using alcohol which led to a significant decline in his health. Jonathan and Stacy were now in the midst of separating as well.
Harper who is a precocious and strong-willed child, was thriving in her foster home and learning to follow rules and adult direction. Jonathan became less involved with Harper and the department while Stacy continued to decline participation in services.
At this point, the department decided to change the goal for Harper to adoption as Harper was approaching one year in foster care and neither Jonathan or Stacy had made any lasting changes or progress in treatment. Both parents were advised of the change in goal and were opposed to it.
Shortly before the termination hearing, Stacy started meeting with a psychiatrist and a therapist. She agreed in principle that there were changes she needed to make that would benefit Harper. Each month, her treatment team providers met with her to review her progress and share concerns with the team to maintain continuity of care support her understanding of expectations.
Jonathan made no such effort, and ultimately Jonathan’s parental rights were terminated during the hearing, but the judge decided to give Stacy five more months to show the court and the department that she was serious about managing her mental health and having Harper returned to her.
Although not the outcome the department expected, it certainly shifted Stacy’s mindset. She became invested in her therapy sessions and began taking responsibility for why Harper came into care. She was consistent about taking her psychotropic medications and meeting with her psychiatrist. She went back to school to finish her degree and came up with a support plan that included her parents, Olivia* and Michael*.
The department was able to first offer partially supervised visits and then progress to unsupervised visits in the home between Harper and Stacy. Stacy began reaching out to the department specialist when she felt overwhelmed or needed advice. It was clear that Stacy was learning how to be a different parent to Harper by being present, healthy, and consistent.
As the review hearing drew near, the department was able to start a transition plan for Harper to return to her mother’s care. This began with Harper having extended day passes followed by overnight visits and then full weekends with the support of in-home services and parent child interaction therapy. Harper was successfully returned home to her mother almost 2 years after entering foster care.
*Names changed to protect confidentiality.
This article is provided by Penny Talley, Supervisor Annandale Foster Care Unit
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
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