Charlie Fox Trot

So today was a placement hearing for our foster kids and let's just say.....things are a big HUGE mess. It was made very clear that CPS intends to award permanent custody to the aunt of the children. We feel a bit misled for several reasons, but mainly because CPS has been telling us that it wasn't working out with her all this time.

The attorney ad litem for the children expressed her apprehension and concern over the family placement to the judge and the judge basically ordered that everyone involved (CPS, the aunt, attorney ad litem, but NOT US) arrange to meet and discuss the situation. If they can't all agree, the judge will hear arguments and decide for them.

The timeline is very open-ended and the prospect of a retrial in November for their dad just complicates it more.

I also spoke with the clinical director of the agency we are using and she agreed there were some issues with the 4 year old girl (and the boy for that matter) that have never been brought to anyone's attention. She feels like the little girl will forever be immensely difficult to parent and that there is a significant risk to Makenzie's emotional (and possibly physical) well being as long as the little girl is in our home. She also said a family can only take so much and that we need to seriously weigh the risks here with this placement. She said they felt misled by CPS also somewhat and that "it's really a shame this is your first placement" because it's such a mess legally and in every other way imaginable.

So....we are going to discuss, pray, discuss some more, pray some more and hopefully meet with the caseworker to decide what we will do with these kiddos until such a time as they do either go to their aunt or are up for adoption otherwise.