Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on June 21, 2006

Click here to view bill details.

Dear Legislators: We were foster parents of our children for three years before the rights of their parents were finally terminated, allowing us to adopt them. The younger sibling was just six months old, and the older was 2-1/2 years. Approximately 2 years into the process, family members (who had declined taking the children when they went into the system) expressed interest in getting the children when they found out that they would be eligible to receive subsidy for them. Thankfully, these people -- the ones who raised the couple who abused and neglected our foster kids so terribly -- lost interest, and the adoption was allowed to proceed. However, I urge you to consider all the implications if this bill passes. We were the only parents the younger child ever knew -- and the older child had never met these "relatives." How could it possibly be in the best interest of the children for legislation like this to go through? I remain, respectfully yours, Heidi Hess Saxton hsaxton@christianword.com

SEC. 4 E (1) BEFORE DETERMINING PLACEMENT. PREFERENCE TO A CHILDS RELATIVES. WILLING TO CARE FOR CHILD AND IS FIT TO DO SO,CHILD SHALL BE PLACED IN RELATIVES HOME.

THIS BILL IS CLEAR IN PROTECTING THE CHILD FROM BEING LOST IN THE SYSTEM AND PROTECTING RELATIVES RIGHTS TO A CHILDRENS FAMILY LIFE.                  

Recall the little girl that was lost in the system for a year,florida ?,cause no one even check for family, the family was looking for her but social system,continued to place her with different fostor homes, a PAPER work problem. Lost in the system, but family found her.

Some children are lost in the system for year before even an effect to contact family members,or familys try to get the child out of the system into there home,courts wouldnt let them,or say well child doing fine where there at,without even giving a family member the right to try to give the child a familiar home. Whatever the story, or reasons, this bill is good it protects a childs family life.