Take a moment and step into the shoes of a child placed in out-of-home care. Imagine being taken away from your parents, friends, and home and placed into an unfamiliar situation, most likely surrounded by strangers. Every year since 1988, Nebraska has had over 8,000 children in out-of-home care at some point in the year. That’s over 184,000 Nebraska children who have been removed from their families in the past 23 years. And if you ask us, that’s too many children on the other side of the tracks.
We don’t question the good intentions of people who work to provide safe and healthy environments for children in out-of-home care. We don’t question the fact that some children need to be removed from their homes. But children need things that out-of-home care can’t provide – stability, loving and permanent connections, and normalcy – and the outcomes for children placed in out-of-home care are dismal compared to those of their peers.
This infographic is meant to spark dialogue and debate. Do you agree or disagree with our take on out-of-home care? What do you think is necessary to keep children safe and with their families? We want to hear your thoughts and ideas. With so many Nebraska kids in out-of-home care, it is a dialogue that is long overdue.
Post a comment