Many parents and grandparents in Hancock County expressed their frustration with the foster care system at a meeting held last night. MPB’s Evelina Burnett reports, more than 100 people attended the first gathering of the county's new youth court task force.
Some of the concerns included what some parents said was a lack of timely response from the Department of Human Services, as well as costly and repeated drug testing, and questions about why some children were placed in foster homes rather than with relatives.
Attorney Kelly Walker said, in other counties where she works, courts will find ways to let children see their parents, with the supervision of a grandparent, for example. She said, she’s even asked a judge in another county about it.
One suggestion raised was a parent representative program to help guide parents through the process. Stephanie Beasley works with Celebrate Recovery, a Bay St Louis church-based group that provides addiction counseling, as well as parenting and anger management classes
The task force will meet twice a month. They meet again on Jan. 23.
