While the issue of children being separated from their parents is so much in the news and while migrant children being separated from their parents is terrible, it’s not the only terrible thing. Consider the graph above, gleaned from this Sun-Times article.
In Illinois 16,000 children have been separated from their parents, unrelated to immigration. Some of them are in wonderful situations; many are not. It’s a truly awful situation to which I don’t think there’s an easy solution.
Would they be better off with their neglectful, incompetent, or even abusive parents? Or in foster homes?
Since history of foster care is considered in assessing sociopathy, risk of re-offending, etc seems a six on one hand, half dozen on the other situation. Placement in foster care, does salve the conscience of the state in the short term.
My brother-in-law is a CASA volunteer. The stories are heart wrenching.