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As an organization we've learned that the successes we've had in our communities stem from the enduring connections we forge. We also recognize the significance of family connection on children and the consequences they face when that connection is broken. Welcome to this special edition of Connected in which we focus on improving conditions for the more than 14,000 children in foster care in Georgia. The 2007 KIDS COUNT essay, "Lifelong family Connections: Supporting Permanence in Foster Care," examines our obligations to children who are at risk of being removed from their homes and especially the children who spend time each year in foster care. In this issue we explore different paths to permanence for these children and youth, which means establishing lifelong, safe, nurturing family relationships. We also promote ways to support youth who are aging out of the foster care system to transition into successful adults who contribute to their communities. State Advocate for the Protection of Children Tom C. Rawlings talks about his plans for connecting the diverse parts of Georgia's child welfare system to better serve its young constituents. Lesley Grady, vice president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta's Community Partnerships, and Tyronda Minter, program officer for the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Opportunities Initiative, discuss their efforts to help foster youth make successful transitions to adulthood. We also hear from youth who have been in foster care and best understand the separation, confusion, isolation and emotional chaos that accompany the experience. They share their personal insight and recommendations on how to strengthen outcomes for these at-risk children. We agree with Casey Family Programs—a national operating foundation that serves children, youth, and families in the child welfare system—that while we share the responsibility of providing and improving foster care, we must ultimately prevent the need for it by connecting children to stable, nurturing families. Sincerely, Gaye
Morris Smith |
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