What do you think about Ohio making foster parents names public?

Question

"COLUMBUS – The public has a right to know the names of foster parents who care for the state’s 10,000 plus foster children, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday.

The decision comes 20 months after the death of Marcus Fiesel, who was killed by his foster parents in Clermont County in August, 2006.

The Fiesel case raised concerns about how Ohio’s 88 counties check the backgrounds of foster parents because both Liz and David Carroll Jr., had criminal records yet were still allowed to care for Marcus."

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/NEWS01/304170045/1056/COL02

Answer 1

How would making their private info public have helped the child. The state system is not run very well. They say they are doing what is in the best interest for the child but a lot of social workers don't care about what happens to the child. They are in a hurry and overwhelmed and just do what is absolutely necessary to get their job done.  I have been a foster parent for 6 years we have seen good workers and not so good ones. It is a shame because it  is the children who suffer. These little guys did nothing to deserve to be where they are.

Answer 2

When we were keeping foster children, the families always had our phone numbers (DHR gave it to them), so they could call their children and stay in contact.  Nowadays, all you need is a phone number anyway to find out someone's address, so I don't see any reason for secrecy.  We never had one problem with our foster children's parents having our phone numbers.  We actually would like for them to have called more often.  Yes, foster parents certainly shouldn't be "protected".  If their names are made public, it would allow neighbors and others in the community to report anything that needed to be reported.

Answer 3

I don't think it's right.  If they are protecting the children from potentially abusive family members yet their names are posted to the public- how safe can that be?

They should scrutinize the foster parents more and check their records, etc. prior to placing children in their homes.

Answer 4

Personally, I have never understood the concept of "privacy" when it comes down to certain matters. Keeping care of someone elses child--even if that child is in state custody--is a public service and not working for the FBI.

As a parent of a special needs child adopted from Foster Care -- who has some real issues I actually NEED the community support and understanding and I also expect to be an OPEN BOOK to the authorities...

My neighbors and community should be able to check my status as a Foster Parent and have a simple way to report anything they see or know about me that might raise a red-flag.

This also means there may be another level of documentation. And with some children documentation can make a big difference later. Especially, if it establishes a pattern of something that "IS" or "IS NOT" important. This also makes it more possible for the identification of children who need a hire level of support services.

As for the biological families--I believe that anytime the state takes custody of someone's child the parents should have the right to check up on who is taking care of that child. Not too many years ago people actually saw Fostering AS a Way to help their community and help another family...there wasn't a reason for Foster Families to expect privacy--because foster families that actually made a difference wanted to see reunification...

I take a lot of criticisim for Being an Open Book--with the reality of the situation parenting a very noticable special needs child... The fact is that this isn't ordinary parenting and I would actually love it if my community were able to "check-out" my story or credintials. With some of the things people actually see in real life--it amazes me how few community members are even willing to act as if they notice.

There are also a lot of situations where for some reason or another someone "takes care" of other peoples children... yet little real legal arrangement is made. Sort of "Private Foster Care" and the community should also have a means of checking on that kind of situation especially if there is some reason to be concerned. You see this often where the mother of a 15 year old allows a friend, girlfriend or boyfriend to live in the household.

The work of being a foster parent isn't a Private Job... It is a public service. Fostering is a choice people make--and some people hesitate to become involved due to the fact that so many poor foster situations make it seem like dirty work.

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Answer 5

Wow.  This certainly has two sides.

First of all, I'm not sure what the law is solving for.  Of course we want to make sure that the people entrusted with the care of children in the foster care system are people who deserve to be entrusted with that responsibility.

I don't see how making the names and addresses (yes, it says addresses, too) of foster parents public is supposed to ensure this?  Would this law have saved Marcus?  Or is this a smokescreen because the state of Ohio didn't follow their own policies and procedures about background checks for foster parents?

Furthermore, the article does describe the potiential danger of having the names and addresses of foster parents public. Personally, it would make me VERY nervous about being a foster parent to children removed from violent and aggressive parents, if said parents could look up my name and address.  

So, I don't see how this is will fix what it says it will fix and I see it being potientially endangering as well.

Answer 6

I guess it doesn't bother me personally, but I know all the things that had to be done to get certified.  My husband and I had to undergo full background and criminal investigation checks.  I think the fact that those parents got certified in the first place was a flaw in the child services system, and was told by my case worker that the reason we had to do so much now was because of that.  It's horrible what happened to that boy, but really, what is making our names public going to help?  Are the parents of these children going to conduct their own background checks on us?

I think that they need to make different sorts of precautions to help these children, and not just in Ohio.  First, they need to increase the amount of social workers per children.  They need to alter training and increase security checks.  It'll be a hassle for those interested in the process, but worth it to protect the children.  Another option may be monitoring the money that parents are given.  Put it on a debit card so purchases can be monitored.  That way people will understand that you don't make money out of doing this.  Plus, it could create jobs which Ohio needs.

All in all, the whole system needs to be revamped.

Answer 7

Absolutely not.  We had children from families of gang members.  Did I want them to have my information??  I am not saying protect abusers, my god no, but making my name public, if I get hurt if a parent is trying to get their child back (remember the children were taken away from them temporarily and the situation may or may not be safe at the time) and I get harmed, well that is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

That said, what the heck are they doing licesning people with criminal records?  I can assure you that there are about a zillion ways to screen them out without violating my privacy and safety.

Anyone who thinks this is a good law...well you will lose real and good foster parents.  Tougher penalties for agencies and higher scrutiny for agencies is the answer.

This just boiled my blood I have to say.

Answer 8

SCARY- "As of Thursday afternoon, the daily checks have revealed that 146 approved foster parents or other adults living with them have been charged with 484 crimes."

If it will protect more children, then I am all for it.  But I worry about the children, who have violent birth parents, who would track them done...is that a possibility?

Answer 9

In a certain way, the foster parents caring for the state's foster children are civil servants...and they should be publicly named as such.  Why would they want this information kept a secret?  Why would foster parents want the fact that they foster to be a secret?  

Maybe it will assist in foster parents  feeling a certain responsibility to the kids they foster and the public they serve.  "Best interests of the child" should be the primary concern.  I know if I was placed with abusive parents, and other people could have provided information indicating their unfit characters if they'd only known...I'd want those fparents' names on a public list.

Answer 10

As a foster parent I wouldn't want my info put out publicly.  There are some situations where confidentiality is important.  It should be your choice if you want your info shared, but if you are convicted of a crime I feel that would be the only time it should be made public.

Answer 11

Invasion of privacy. Why would Ohio do this?

Answer 12

I see no reason why this information should be held in secret especially since counties aren't having the police department check out people offering their services as foster parent.  My sister's relative is a foster parent in FL and has lobbied to have this information made available to help prevent further abuses of children.

Answer 13

I definitely think they need to do frequent thorough background checks. I'm not a fan of having names and address available to the public.

I prefer that people with drug and alcohol problems not have my name and address thinking I may have their kid. ( not that every one does have those problems)

Answer 14

Hi Gersh,

I find it interesting that the public has a right to know the names of all foster parents, yet adoptees still do not have the right to know the names of their own foster parents that took care of them before they were adopted.  Hmm...

julie j

reunited adoptee

Answer 15

My brother-in-laws funeral home handled the service for that poor little boy. his death has touched so many people and law makers are doing everything they can to protect the kids. I can't say that I agree that making foster parents names public will protcet kids. If a parents or family member decided to cause harm to them or the kids, it would be too easy to find them. On the other hand, oublic notice of people as foster parents would make them more accountable of their actions.

IDK ? I think it's a lot of trial and error, but at least Ohio is willing to move in A direction.

Answer 16

i am a foster parent now in ohio and i don't know how i feel about that.  They check records now but it was just local before and it is federal.  YOu are allowed to have a history but it can't be violent and it has to be 10 years in the past.

Answer 17

It says that they are making public the names/addresses of people who have foster care licenses.  Nowhere does it say that there is going to be a public list of the children's names along with their foster parents...just that the list of people who have foster care licenses will be available to the public.

I live in Ohio, and most other types of licenses here are public information (medical providers,  etc.).  Maintaining a list of people licensed as foster care providers isn't that much different.  I'd disagree with the law if the names of the children would be published along with the names of the foster parents - obviously, there are lots of good reasons why you wouldn't want people to be able to track down a foster child's name and address.  But, as long as its just a general list showing who has a license and the names/location of the children are still kept private, I don't have a big problem with that.

Answer 18

While their criminal background checks need to be better, it is an incredibly dangerous, foolish thing to publicize the names of foster families.  It puts those families and the children they care for at risk.  Many of the children in care are there because they come from violent backgrounds, and what is to stop parents from kidnapping their children from care and fleeing the jurisdiction, possibly hurting the foster families in the process?