Trying to Find a Home for Baby and Me

In “Baby on the Move,” p. 18, and “No Moms Allowed,” p. 19, Lillian Cremedy writes about how she had a problem finding a good foster home as a teen mother in care. She moves twice while pregnant and twice after her baby is born, before finally settling down in a supervised apartment program. She interviews a foster care supervisor on why foster parents are reluctant to take in kids with babies.

Prompts for discussion and/or writing:

—If you work with young mothers, have them discuss their reactions to Lillian’s experience of trying to find a good placement for herself and her baby. Did they have a similar experience? What impact did it have on them?
—Then have the group come up with a list of changes they would make in the system to provide a better experience for young mothers. For example, Lillian recommends paying foster parents more money to take in mothers and babies. What other suggestions can they come up with?

Activity: Youth can work in pairs or in small groups. On p. 20, Lillian describes why foster parents don’t want to take in teens with babies: the foster parents worry that the teen will be more difficult to control, will set a bad example for the other children, or will leave them stuck caring for the baby. Have the young people respond to these concerns. What would they say to a foster parent who thinks that way? Are some of these worries justified? Why/why not? Discuss.