TV shows such as ABC's "Find My Family" (top), the CW's "Life Unexpected" (center) and "The Locator" on WEtv touch on foster care and adoption.

May is National Foster Care Month. So SocialWorkersSpeak.org, the Web site that gets social workers talking about and influencing media, assembled a panel of social work experts to get their take on how foster care is depicted on television.

At least one drama, “Life Unexpected” on the CW, has a foster child as its main character. Other reality-based programs, including “Adoption Stories” on Discovery Health and “The Locator” on WEtv, occasionally address foster care.

The experts are:

• Jennifer Tackitt, MSW, a regional manager for the Indiana Department of Child Services.
• Matt Anderson, MSW, a Montana social worker who works with foster children and the producer of the upcoming documentary “From Place to Place” about the challenges of foster children who age out of the system.
• Elizabeth Edwards, MSW, RCSWI, a resident supervisor at Henderson Mental Health Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Edwards was also placed in foster care when her drug-addicted mother could no longer care for her children. Edwards, who aged out of the system, was bounced from foster home to foster home. “I stopped counting at 15,” she said.

Q: How do you feel about the recent slate of television programming that deals with foster care and adoptions? Do you think these programs are making the public more aware of adoption and more willing to become involved in foster care?

TACKITT: I do believe that putting foster care and adoption issues in the limelight can only increase public awareness and bring about additional people interested in this work and these children. It is a difficult task especially in this economy to solicit the need for foster parents. The vast majority of the public have no idea how to access this system. Having public awareness raised through television is a definite benefit.

EDWARDS: These programs are superficial and lack the underlining problems both within the system and the youth population they serve. They minimize the impact that the system plays in the core and underlining factors that the majority of foster care youth face – especially the ones aging out of the system.

ANDERSON: Any of these shows is definitely raising awareness about foster care and adoption issues. I think that’s important and a very good thing if done right — meaning that it is an accurate portrayal and a realistic portrayal. I haven’t seen any that are as raw as what I’ve experienced. They don’t show the reality that I’ve experienced. I don’t know if people want to see that or if people want to make that kind of show. Our film will put out some pretty heartbreaking stories and some pretty real and raw life experiences. But if we put the truth out there then it’s there for us to do something about. If we reveal the truth we can work toward the solution and improve the lives of kids and families.

 Q: “Life Unexpected” deals with former foster child “Lux” who is reunited with her birth parents after years of moving from one home to another. How realistic is that scenario? Do foster children often try to reconnect with birth families when they age out of foster care? In your experience are the results usually good or not so good?

ANDERSON: In my experience the majority of kids want to know about their families and most of them would want to have a relationship with their families. I think for way too many kids in the foster care system the design of our (foster care) systems — the policies and finances of the system — isolate kids from their families and I think that has to change. Our funding, our laws and our services have to support connection to family and ensure that kids have the support of people who are permanent in their lives and care about them forever.

 TACKITT: Yes. It is a natural process for children to find their birth families after spending time separated. Many times this is the plan from the get-go. We fail to prepare them for what they might encounter by not acknowledging their long-term plans. Because the system works with children aging out, it is imperative that we seek out supportive essential connections prior to their eighteenth birthday that can guide and assist them throughout their life. In the best case scenario we would have assisted them in creating positive, life-long supports that will help them navigate their search and guide them through what dysfunction or risks may still exist for them. Given the prior preparation, reuniting with birth families can be extremely positive or extremely negative. It is, however, predictable so it would behoove us not to ignore it and prepare these young adults.

EDWARDS: Unfortunately, there are several factors to consider here: race, culture, and other circumstances surrounding the separation of the child from her parents. Statistically, the probability of foster care youth locating their biological parents, having a supportive and welcoming reunification, and having biological parents who are financially, emotionally, and mentally stable and able to accept and nurture the return of a foster or adoptive child is like watching a Disney movie. But that does not mean it can’t happen. Realistically, many of the foster care and adoptive clients that I serve expressed at one point in treatment their dreams of reuniting with their family and it being this wonderful life. And because it’s so wonderful, they can’t understand why they are in foster care or why their parents gave them up. I have been privileged to undergo personal experience and those with other friends from foster care who have attempted to locate their biological parents. While I cannot speak from their point of view, I still cry. But I found closure. Whether or not I wanted to hear or see my possible life environment, it was what I needed to begin my healing process.

Q: The television show “Find My Family” helped adoptees and their birth parents find each other. Some social workers who left comments at SocialWorkersSpeak.org did not think such a sensitive scene should be televised. Do you agree? “Find My Family” was cancelled but the “The Locator” on WEtv is similar.

TACKITT: I actually do not agree that such scenes should not be televised. I believe that pain and difficult times should be transparent to this world in order to gain a better understanding. We should not shelter the community from how difficult this can be. Awareness can often bring about change and television is the best way to do that. More people may be willing to help during these situations if they are aware of how important it is to these children and families. I do believe that sensitivity should be used and all parties should be prepared. Adults need to be fully informed before allowing the world access to their emotions. I would hope that similar shows should be created. The more light shed on these issues, the more empathy our world could have.

EDWARDS: I agree with Ms. Tackitt on this.  Sensitive or not, it needs exposure. I can name several sensitive issues that continue to receive air time. If a topic arises that is an area that the client wishes to address, then it is the social worker’s responsibility to address it in the treatment plan. The Social Worker Code of Ethics clearly states this.

ANDERSON: I think if that reunification is done for the purpose of media and for the benefit of a TV show, it probably is not good. If we are doing it for the purpose of the well-being for a person of a family and they are willing to put that out there for the world to see I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.

Q: Matt, you are both a social worker and a filmmaker so we will ask you this closing question. Foster care seems like such a controversial and complete topic. Do you think screenwriters can really create a drama that addresses this issue fairly or is it better to use reality shows and documentaries to get out the word?

ANDERSON: First of all I want to say we just can’t hide from the truth. And I think we should do all of those things — dramas, documentaries and reality shows. If there is going to be real change in our child welfare system there must be a public and political will for that to happen. It’s hard to move people on an issue and inspire them do something about it. If you show real stories and allow people to see the human side of it, that’s a powerful way to effect change. Social workers say the first thing is, “do no harm.” Putting these stories out does no harm.

To learn more about how social workers help foster children, visit the National Association of Social Workers “Help Starts Here” Adoptions and Foster Care Web page by clicking here.