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Adopted teenager is system success story Fredericksburg Social Services Department uses simple, but effective initiatives to help get foster children adopted Date published: 9/16/2009
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
Hamburgers and hot dogs sizzled on the grill. At a nearby picnic table in a Fredericksburg park, a different type of grilling was under way as six women asked 17-year-old Anthony Nagle about his college applications. As they reminded him of deadlines, Anthony just smiled and shrugged. A year ago, he couldn't picture a future. Now, the James Monroe High School senior is trying to pick a college. And the stakes are high for his half-dozen surrogate moms. Anthony is their success story, and these city social workers want to see him go even farther. Earlier that morning, Anthony and Ben Nagle stood before a judge and officially became a family. They were an unlikely father-son duo: Anthony, a black teen athlete, and Ben, white and just 29. But they share easygoing natures, a fondness for the TV show "House," and "Rock Band" skills. When Ben adopted Anthony on Aug. 27, Fredericksburg Department of Social Services attorney Jay Vance said, "This is the rare success story." City social workers pride themselves on finding homes for teens--a daunting task as most prospective foster parents want younger children--but this was the first time they could remember someone as old as Anthony getting adopted. State social services workers hope to see success stories like Anthony's become less rare. Last year, they began using the Virginia Children's Services System Transformation to get more kids into families. The effort incorporates best practices: putting fewer children in group homes, recruiting quality foster parents and reuniting more children with relatives. "I think that a lot of agencies are already practicing this," said Fredericksburg Social Services Director Janine Sewell. Still, "it re-energizes what we're already doing." Raymond Ratke, special adviser for children's services for Virginia Department of Social Services, spearheaded the initiative. And he agrees that it's not a radical plan. "We're not talking about new ideas. These ideas have been around for 20 to 30 years," he said. Michael Muse, director of Stafford County Department of Social Services, hopes the effort will inspire agency workers. "It challenges the way we do business, and the way we think of things," Muse said. "Over time, any system that goes unchallenged gets complacent."
Date published: 9/16/2009
This isn't a Battle....I'm just saying U don't know the whole Story....And ur so right....That's Great that he now feels that he has a home.
If he was adopted, it was b/c his parental rights were terminated. He was in foster care for TEN years. Where were his biological family during all that time? Why didn't they come forward and do what they had to do to adopt him? Why didn't his "mom and dad" do what they needed to do to get him back the first year he was in foster care? I'm glad he has a REAL dad now. I just wish he didn't spend his whole life in foster care. Shame on DSS for not getting him permanency a LONG time ago!
The Family did try....You Don't know the whole story. Things are Not always as they seem....The Family's concern is his Happiness and Well Being....It's just Sad that the article makes it seem that there was No Family when there is....
If he has a family that he is close to, why was he in foster care? If the family is so hurt, why didn't they take him? The story my be "slanted", but it sounds like a young man was able to find a place to call home.
I'm Happy if Anthony is Happy but the article is so Slanted!!! He does have Family...His Mother and Father And their Families...And he is close to most of them... Sounds like The Free Lance-Star just wanted a Story to Write...They should investigate before publishing a Story that is so Far Fetched...There are people that are really hurt behind this article...
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