There is a story coming out of Des Moines that has me scratching my head. I even read it out loud to my husband to see if I was missing something.

There is a foster mom named Susan who wants to adopt the foster child who has been with her for almost two years. This should be a good thing, right? I thought so.

This case has been back and forth in court where the Department of Human Services was removed as guardians of the little boy, Elijah. The ruling was over turned and they are now Elijah’s guardians again.

Part of the issue is that Elijah has dwarfism, and an adoptive family was found in California that has dwarfism as well. Ok. I get this on a certain level, but shouldn’t the bond between the foster mother and foster child be taken into consideration here? Shouldn’t the fact that they have been mother and son for almost two years be important? Why remove him from a home that has already been deemed appropriate, a mother who wants to adopt him and a home where he is apparently happy? In many ways this smacks of the “old days” when it was thought that there shouldn’t be trans-racial adoptions.

The other thing in this story that has me confused is the statement that the foster mother waited until “the last minute” to say she wanted to adopt Elijah. According to the report DHS started looking for an adoptive family in February 2006, and his foster mother asked to adopt him in June of 2006. I hardly consider that the last minute.

The quote that really has my blood boiling is this:

In Friday morning's opinion, the appeals judges said they recognized the bond between a foster parent and foster child, but said the foster care system is designed to provide temporary homes for children.

With the majority of children being adopted by their foster parents, this statement is uneducated and demeaning. Does this mean we’re not supposed to love and care for the kids? We shouldn’t get attached? We should just send kids on their way and never think about them again? If foster parents are doing that, I question the integrity and the reasons that they are in foster care. I have cared about every child that has crossed my door, even if they were only here for respite.

The case is now in appeals again, so little Elijah still does not have any permanency in his life. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the other family. The article doesn’t really say anything about them except that they have dwarfism.

I hope that Elijah is able to find a permanent home soon.

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