Nebraska to Revise Safe Haven

Back in September I wrote about Nebraska’s new Safe Haven law and how I thought the state was not going to be equipped to deal with the influx of children they were going to see.

As of yet, no children have been dropped off but I am wondering what will happen when they do…

is Nebraska’s foster care system ready for emotional and physical special needs children?

Did they recruit more foster parents with those skills and certifications?

Do they have interim care for infants?

This past weekend the country celebrated National Adoption Day. Nebraska lawmakers are in session to amend the “safe haven” law because they have had over 30 children abandoned by parents since it’s inception in July. Lawmakers now want an age restriction put on the law, an attempt to limit the numbers of older children abandoned.

According to a recent article in USA Today (Emily Bazar and Wendy Koch), 31 children have been abandoned, 17 of them teens. However, the law was initially meant to protect infants and has since had unintended consequences.

It seems pretty obvious that Nebraska has unintentionally highlighted a severe problem with our troubled families. Records show that those children who were abandoned came from homes that had mental health care, jail time, and were often from single family homes.

Certainly, being from a single family home does not equal a troubled child, nor does it mean that the parent is overwhelmed to the point that they can no longer care for their child. However, mix the single parent with a significant other or spouse in jail, depression, and a difficult economic situation and one may also have a trouble child.

So, what is a state like Nebraska to do? Do they lower the age limit?

Do they offer more foster care for these children?

Do they offer MORE services to these parents?

Do they provide institutional care like Mooseheart wherein children are given care and still have families.

Read More

The Abandoned Children of Nebraska -Time Magazine

Nebraska: 5-Year-Old Dropped Off – New York Times

Safe Haven or Last Resort – CBS News