INTRODUCTION

On any given day, there are over 500,000 children in the United States’ foster care system. This story is written by one of those former foster children. It is not an autobiography but the details are based on true events. When most people hear the term foster child, they think of damaged goods: a child from a bad background, poor parents, or a product of drug addiction, alcoholism, and physical or sexual abuse. They think of children whose parents are incarcerated, murdered, or even children who have committed violent acts themselves. There is nothing farthest from the truth.

Most foster children are only placed in foster care on a temporary basis awaiting reunification with their parent(s). Then, there are those unfortunate children who go from foster home to foster home until they age out of the foster care system. The lucky ones are adopted, usually at a young age, while the unlucky ones bounce from one “hellhole” to another. Research indicates foster children experience higher rates of pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, divorce in adulthood, and many other negative social issues.

The odds are really against them if they are a female, minority, or mixed race. Despite all the odds, there are those who survive the foster care system to become positive productive citizens. Some foster children would lead you to believe they made it through the system on their own. But, I know it was “Only by Grace” that they survived an underfunded, overworked foster care system designed to help, but most often fails.