My wife and I have custody of 3 grandkids. Ages 2,10,&12. We got our 2 yr old when she was 6 mo. old. She was born with opioid addiction withdrawals & social services were going to put her in foster care. We found out 1 day before court, talked with the caseworker & the judge awarded her to us. We had regular visits & background checks but because she was never in foster care we are not eligible for kinship care. We have had the 2 oldest kids since 09 & because they were never in foster care we don’t qualify for help. Parents signed over rites to us & we have loved & cared for them since. Why should we be disqualified because we didn’t let them go in foster care & possibly not get them back for months or worse? In all cases it was done with lawyers & judges we have legal custody & it is a struggle, to say the least. The kids are well cared for & happy. They are raised with family, cousins, great grandparents, aunt & uncle. So why should we be left out because we stepped up & didn’t let them go to foster care?
