The risks of delay and uncertainty to looked after children are well-documented: distress at their unknown future, moves within foster care and attachments to long-term carers they may one day have to leave.
The Nelsons became some of first foster parents in Dallas County to have the court consider their opinions regarding the future foster children placed in their care for less than a year.
She wondered what their futures would hold if they entered the foster care system or were adopted, so she began examining statistics.
Indeed, the political jockeying over the agency's future is taking place just as the 65 foster care agencies that care for 90percentt of the system's 30,000 wards are themselves in the last stages of lobbying to keep their shares of a shrinking pool of foster children.
Despite the depressing statistics, there are many success stories of children in foster care - indeed, with a theme of fostering brighter futures, this year's Foster Care Fortnight also celebrates what many fostered children have achieved and continue to achieve.
These findings are considered in the context of future research and practice with respect to young children in foster care.
Judge Lynch said the girl had already gone into temporary foster care pending long-term decisions about her future.
"For the future, we would like to see the same kind of investment in the contract agencies as A.C.S. has received," said Edith Holzer, spokeswoman for the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies, the umbrella group for the nonprofit foster care agencies.
This helps keep children out of the foster care system and gives moms a powerful motivation to pursue a law-abiding future.
Ever mindful of her own experiences in foster care, Mernie said she and Karen always included Lydia in decisions about her future.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare points out that the Foster Care Strategy was adopted in March and that foster care will be promoted in future as the best form of protection for children without parental care.
