The Rent is Due

At a time when so many are struggling, I've been contemplating how I can be of service to others. After our foster daughter of nearly a year left us in March to reunify with her family, we were all just learning about the COVID pandemic that would change our world.

I recall deciding to take a break before accepting another foster placement, but it was some time before we received another call for assistance. As days turned into weeks and weeks became months, we began to think we weren't "open in the system" – available to receive new placements.

Such was not the case and DCF confirmed they did have our status correct, but indicated since the shutdown of the state of CT in March, calls to the CareLine dropped significantly. In fact, "significantly" had a number … 33%.

These calls serve as a trigger for DCF to investigate and confirm a child's well-being. A 33% drop means 14,600 less calls over a 6 month period – March to Aug. – vs. year ago. Let's consider that in context of other news in the headlines for the same time period.

• Alcohol sales up
• Opioid abuse up 
• Food shortages up
• Unemployment up
• Domestic violence up
• Mental health needs up

While I'm not an expert in the analysis of socio-economic trends, something seemed out of pattern here. How could all of these items point up, yet calls regarding child safety were down. How could the need for foster homes suddenly drop in light of these circumstances? While this seems like something a favorite author Malcolm Gladwell would study (side note: read Talking to Strangers), I was left to conclude it just didn't make sense.

The reasons for a child's removal from their family typically revolve around a common set of themes. Here are some of the most often cited reasons:*

• Child witness to substance abuse
• Child witness to drug use / abuse
• Child in unsafe living conditions
• Child neglected, abused, uncared for
• Child born drug exposed
• Child witness to domestic violence

*We have received calls citing all of these reasons

While we were hesitant to accept another placement given concerns about COVID, we remained open and knew the need was great, though the pandemic had masked a truth. Our state's most vulnerable children were at risk and not being seen. Why?  In part, schools shut down – totally. For 6 months, no child in CT attended public school in person.

What does that have to do with child safety and protecting a child's well-being?  School professionals are mandated reports and represent the largest initiator of calls to the DCF CareLine. So with children not in school, the watch point for identifying those at risk was unavailable.

It would seem unreasonable to think life at home for these at-risk children all of sudden improved when the height of the pandemic hit our state and families were in lockdown. If anything, it likely became worse. While a drop in calls to the DCF CareLine to investigate child safety issues could be seen as a good thing, the reason behind the decline leaves me with questions.

For now, we remain willing and able to answer that next call to provide help when needed for our most vulnerable children. It's been said "service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth" and I've taken that to heart these last 6 months.

My wish is that we may find a way to serve others as best we can and give in whatever form it takes, one step at a time. By the way, a call came in last night and the rent is due. My time to serve is now.