(Posted 2023 July)
In spring 2022, police responded to a home due to a report of an unresponsive woman who had overdosed. The woman, Andrea*, was taken to the hospital for treatment. Police discovered her two small children in the home at the time. Their father, Frederick*, was not present due to outstanding warrants related to illicit drug use.
As a result of the severity of this incident, both children, Darrell* (3 years old) and Beatrice* (1 year old), were immediately taken into custody and placed in a foster home. At that point, the Department of Family Services conducted a thorough family search to identify an appropriate family member who might be willing to serve as a relative foster home for Darrell and Beatrice.
While not in a position to take in the children right then, their relatives were determined to stay involved and they continued supporting Andrea and her children throughout the process. They encouraged Andrea and Frederick to complete drug treatment and other court-ordered services, and some family members took part in visitation with the children.
Beginning to Accept Help
Andrea and Frederick started on a journey to sobriety together. They both checked into the Fairfax Detox program to ween off drugs. After completing the program, they entered an intensive outpatient program. They participated in substance abuse group therapy four times a week, and weekly individual psychotherapy.
Both parents appeared to be making substantial progress in remaining substance free, when tragically in the fall of 2022, Frederick fatally overdosed during a brief relapse period. Andrea struggled with his passing; however, she remained focused on her treatment and her goals and managed to remain substance free.
Bridging the Gap
Family reunification was still the goal. While the children were in foster care, their foster parents made sure that they visited their mother several times a week to maintain their bond and connection with her. Andrea’s mother (Alice*) and her cousin (Macy*) also spent time with the children during these visits to build family ties.
During summer 2022, Macy decided that she would become a relative foster parent (also known as a kinship care foster parent) to the children. Macy, who has two children of her own, went through the foster parent PRIDE training. Then the children were placed with her in the fall. Becoming a licensed foster parent allowed Macy to tap into resources that may be less readily available in informal kinship care arrangements.
While the children were living with Macy, Andrea was able to visit within the community and a visitation schedule was more relaxed. As long as Andrea continued to be invested in treatment and remained substance free, she was allotted more liberal visitation and access to the children.
Working Toward a Second Chance as a Family
During winter 2022, Andrea was able to secure full-time employment, attend her outpatient substance abuse groups, and establish independent housing on her own. In February, the first Permanency Planning Hearing was held, and it was determined that Andrea had made sufficient progress for the children to be placed with her on a trial home visit.
Once Andrea secured child care for Darrell and Beatrice, the children were returned physically to her. The department continued to monitor the children in the home and at child care on a weekly basis to ensure safety and to support Andrea during this transition time. The children appeared safe and happy and Andrea, though overwhelmed with balancing work and family, was able to remain clean and sober. Andrea was eventually able to go part-time with her employer to help cope with the work/home balance, still managing to be able to pay bills and meet the needs of the family.
In May 2023, a second Permanency Planning Hearing was held, and the department recommended that Andrea receive full custody of the children. The judge fully agreed with this recommendation. Andrea remains connected with the foster care specialist as she is grateful for all the support she has received.
The court hearing was filled with great emotion as Andrea and her family shed tears of joy and gratitude for all the support. This story is indeed a success as it demonstrates a collaboration between public service providers and the family to ensure Andrea got the help she needed to be able to have her children returned to her. Andrea continues to participate in her relapse prevention program and to rely on the providers and her family.
*Name changed to protect confidentiality.
Provided by the South County 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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