Taken into foster care, through the eyes of a child

Video by Shelly Yang and Neil Nakahodo

Links to all the stories in the Throwaway Kids series:

Part One of Six: ‘We are sending more foster kids to prison than college’

Part Two of Six: As U.S. spends billions on foster care, families are pulled apart and forgotten

Part Three of Six: Frequent moves don’t just harm foster kids’ emotions — they hurt their brains

Part Four of Six: Graduation rate of 35 percent? Many foster children ‘robbed of a good education’

Part Five of Six: Aging out: Thousands of foster youth graduate to the streets every year

Part Six of Six: ‘The state that neglected me as a kid is the
same state that wants to kill me’

"Throwaway Kids" is a special Kansas City Star investigation published in December 2019:
A longtime advocate in Kansas City once told a reporter that foster care was “just a breeding ground for prison.”
That comment stuck with us and eventually led to this project. The yearlong investigation began with prisons and branched out into a more comprehensive look at long-term outcomes for children who age out of the nation’s broken, overwhelmed foster care system. 

More from The Kansas City Star:

[JasonGafar]

I can't even imagine the degree of trauma these poor children suffer. It just breaks my heart. It's not their fault.

[autumnw]

I am in foster care but I am going to be adopted ☺️ soon

[EvangeliaBiddy]

She is so on point! There is funding for foster care, but none to keep families together!

[JackSlok]

Sad how 1 person can ruin or traumatize a persons life forever

[maxijohnson]

Been in foster care for almost 2 months. I always thought that this is something that only happened in movies, online, in stories etc. Turns out it's not. I used to be a good student (good grades and everything). Now the only reason I'm still going is because of the hope that I can go home. It's honestly scary how much I can relate to all this. I can't get through a day without crying my eyes out and all the teachers treat me differently. I even started eating in the toilets at school. The foster carer is getting a little annoyed at me and to be honest I can't completely blame her. I'm lucky because I'm still at the same school I was before this though I don't know for how much longer as my foster carer might be giving up soon. Sorry this was so long. Wish me luck so I can go home soon: ).

[summerbabie]

Foster care saved my life and stopped physical and sexual abuse.

[breee]

"I don't understand how there's so much funding for foster care benefits, for adoption benefits, for emergency shelters. There's so much funding for that, but there's no funding for family preservation."
Dahm

[ariannarivera]

So much funding to separate the family not enough to keep them together 😔💔

[toddtyler]

Just triggered all the old feelings from growing up through foster homes. Anxiety, and defense mechanisms on high alert. Brought tears to my eyes, seeing this. People that have never been will never understand how it follows you throughout your life. There are great people involved with foster care, and some very horrible people also. I've been through both. Thank you for this video

[islarooka]

This nailed the description of what it’s like to be placed in foster care. It always gave me this blank feeling when I arrived to a new group home or family. Changed schools, friends, and even your day to day habits based on how the new family or homes routines were every time you’re placed in a new location. And the over whelming need to want to run away for me was almost an automatic response those feelings, like imagine being a 10 year old and feeling like your only way to survive these changes and feelings was to abandon ship and seek out your parents or even a single person that you found familiar. Even if it meant sleeping on the streets until you got there. Somewhere. Anywhere, that felt like you were “home.”

Omg...I feel everything she shared in the video!!! Took me right back

[zacharypearl]

This is the most accurate depiction of what it's like, I've been dealing with foster care for 4 years and it's hell but I'm finally about to turn 18 and go home where I shoulda been along time go.

[shreksswamp]

I remember how alone i felt on Christmas when i was in foster care….

[roseofsharon.]

Takes me back to that childhood pain ...I was the only girl in the family with four brothers and I was always separated from them which was terrifying but thank GOD I'm now deliverd from the pain the abuse and missuse of my time in and outta care ...Thankyou Jesus for loving me when no one else did and taking my pain away Must admit I still can't stand social workers to this day lol ...Great Vidio thank you and God bless .

[LB-uoxy]

Because foster care is a business, just like child detention centers and prisons.
And it's literally designed and even encourages the attraction of the worst kinds of people in each of those systems.

[Thor-stwz]

"So much funding to take us away, but no funding to keep us there" - Exactly! The foster homes got extra money taking us in, like a business.

[roseadams]

I feel everything she saying. Everyone thinks foster care is a safe place and a magical place but reality it’s the complete opposite.

[paulette]

Somtimes it doesn't matter how much funding is there to help the parents..sometimes for whatvever reason some parents are just unable to parent their children

[jellybeaneliott]

I’m in foster care but soon to be adopted but I say I had trauma with my parents but the foster care system traumatized me more and I never wanted to leave my parents and now I suffer from serve depression because of the system.

[SurvivorOfChildAbuse]

I was in foster care for almost 2 years I am now in safe loving family. I’m praying for everything one in the system you are my brothers and sisters I feel what you have been though in many ways. 2 and half years since I leave the system but I still feel the physical and mental trouble from the system. It does get better but it takes time I am praying for all of you in the system. This video is not wrong we need foster care reform and we need it now. Keep fighting the good fight y’all got this. Love you all in the system y’all are my family my brothers and my sisters.