Some Children Weren't Home for Christmas

If there are children in your life you know that this is probably the best time of year for them. Christmas is here!

But not for every child.

Tom Green County is Region 9 of the Department of Family and Protective (DFP).  Paul Zimmerman, Region 9 Media Specialist, sent me the following sobering information from the Austin Headquarters.

As of Nov. 2017, 119 children in Tom Green County are in foster care. These are children from ages 0 to 17; “0” counts the number of children under one-year of age.

Counting children in all substitute care programs, for example foster care and kinship placements, 260 children in Tom Green County will not be home for Christmas.

With many detours along the way, a child usually enters the state system when a credible report of abuse is investigated by Children’s Protective Service (CPS), located here in San Angelo.

Reports of abuse cover a wide range of suspected offensives: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and for younger children it might be failure to thrive.

For example—from a real case—a 12-year-old boy who was locked in the bathroom by his mother for over a year who weighs 30 pounds as a result.

Examples of sexual abuse and types of physical abuse—a two-year-old with an STD, or broken limbs and bruises—are just an example of what CPS workers see far too often.

In an emergency situation, where a child must be seized immediately, the next step would be the Children’s Emergency Center. In as little as an hour, and scarred by what has happened, the child is placed in a foreign place with unknown people.

They are safe, and well cared for, but they are not at home.

According to Sammye Rupeck, Executive Director of the Children’s Emergency Center—one of three programs under the umbrella of the Concho Valley Home for Girls: In 2016, 65 children spent up to 90 days at the shelter. 

Imagine your child’s fear in a similar situation.

At that time, the child will tell the story of what happened in a child-friendly environment. It happened in the Hope House, part of the Children’s Advocacy Center.

The beauty of the service offered by Hope House—if there is such a thing as beauty in any of this—is that the child only has to tell their story once. Law enforcement officials are monitoring the interview in a side room equipped with a one-way window.

Once it becomes obvious that a child is not going home anytime soon, they are assigned a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer (CASA), who has responsibility for the child’s journey through the system.

This includes court appearances on behalf of the child and very likely visits to the home of origin. CASAs are sworn in in district court after training.

“At present, CASA has 340 children in their case load, and only 65 volunteers. By year’s end 2016, the organization had served 563 children. Volunteers are always needed,” said Heather Ward, Executive Director of CASA.

Continuing a child’s journey to permanency, whatever that may be, The Concho Valley Home for Girls   (CVHG) may be the next step.

Sammye Rupeck is also Executive Director of the program for kids 14 to 26 who are “aging out” of care. In other words, some who might have been in the care of the state for many years, after emancipation are pretty much on their own, or used to be, that is.

Instead, girls participate in the Concho Valley Transition Center. In partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission, young adults are given job training and learn how to get and hold on to a job. If needed, the program will help pay for essential living and work-related expenses until they are established.

Janessa Nunez knows first-hand the positive impact of the transition program.

“I came to San Angelo from San Diego as a single Mom when I was 18. I had been in a program in San Diego like the Girl’s Home and I wanted that to continue here in San Angelo. I actually Googled ‘support for single moms, San Angelo,’ and found the Concho Valley Home for Girls.”

“Sammye (Rupeck) sat me down and listened to what I had to say and from there I was part of a mentoring program. Nobody tells you what to do. They just listen.”

“They helped me get my GED, and I took Quickbooks classes.  I needed help with after-care for my son and they helped with that.”

“Even now, they help with Christmas gifts for our kids. There’s a pantry there and a boutique and toiletries.

“Had it not been for the CVHG I would have had a really hard time. Maybe my story will help some other girl to reach out,” she said.

The Children’s Advocacy Center and the Concho Valley Home for Girls are both United Way agencies. Websites for these agencies respectively, are http://www.cactomgreen.org, and http://www.conchokids.org. Donations that will help these children have as good a Christmas as your own are welcome.