Vol. 11, No. 2 • May 2007

Facing Facts

We all know our child welfare system isn’t perfect. If you’re like most people working in this system, you’re willing to take a few imperfections (or more than a few) if it means a chance to make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families.

To make the biggest possible impact sometimes you need to face facts, to know the “good, the bad, and the ugly.” After all, you can solve problems and overcome hurdles so much better when you know what they are.

In this spirit, this issue of Fostering Perspectives aims to provide you with a realistic look at some important aspects of foster care and adoption in North Carolina, including our performance on key indicators, the disproportionate representation of African Americans in foster care, the influence of our consumer society on adoption, the lingering effects of trauma on children, and more.

Whatever your role is in the child welfare system, we salute you for your dedication and your hard work, and we hope this issue supports you as you continue to make a difference.

Contents

By the Numbers: Foster Care in North Carolina
Resources for Learning More about Foster Care Outcomes
Race and Foster Care
New Study Analyzes the Economic Costs and Benefits of Transracial Adoption
Matching Children with the Right Foster Family
The Frustrations of Waiting for a Placement
North Carolina's Foster Care Infrastructure
Message from the President of the NC Foster and Adoptive Parent Association
Helping Your Birth Children Get Along with Children Placed in Your Home

The Family Support Network of NC

Reading This and That (Book Review)

Kids' Pages
Child Welfare Worker Visits with Children in Foster Care
Children Do Best in Families
"I Am ," a Poem by Alesha
New Video Extends a Heart to Foster Youths
What Parents Should Remember about Trauma
Why School Matters
The Educational Needs of Children in Foster Care
Our Consumer Society Can Make Adoption a Challenge
My Adoptive Family Helped Me Get Over a Rough Start, by Rebecca
Help Us Find Families for These Children
"You Helped Me ," a Poem by Ronda
Writing Contest

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