By Alanna Dancis, Santa Fe New Mexican, March 7, 2020
My husband and I have spent the last two years fostering a little boy. He had been abused and neglected and over those two years we worked hard to heal his emotional and physical wounds. We straightened out some medical issues he had, cheered him on as he learned to walk and talk, and wove him into the fabric of our family life. He was raised as the brother to our biological son.
With 10 days of notice, he was removed from our home and sent to live with a relative. It is still opaque to me why he was not with this relative to begin with if she was safe and wanted him; or why he is with this relative now if she was not safe or did not want him. We have not heard from her. I am sure my little boy wonders why we disappeared from his life after promising to keep him safe.
The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department would posit that reunification with biological parents is always what is best for the child. If that is not feasible, the next best possibility is living with a close relative (kinship foster care).
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