Foster parents of 10 kids share how much need there is in Bradenton. ‘A beautiful, messy story’

Tiffany Tompkins
·7 min read
2

Small fingers clutch a tissue in one hand and a tablet in the other.

A 2-year-old boy sits wrapped in a blanket on the couch. He has a cold, but he gathers enough strength to spring from the couch and jump on a small trampoline, squealing with delight.

He’s one of ten children who live with foster parents Mindy and Roy. The Bradenton Herald is not using their legal names to protect the privacy of the children in their care.

Mindy brought the child home after nine days of detoxing from “an alphabet soup of drugs” in a neonatal intensive care unit, she said. His mom is still in jail, and the couple has adopted him.

Parental drug abuse is still the leading cause of a child’s removal from the home, and while the number of Manatee County kids in foster care has declined in recent years, there is still a big need for foster families — especially those that can keep siblings together.

Florida has been behind on its goal of keeping 65% of sibling groups together for the past two years.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes, there are fewer foster homes available, as well as kids with more needs, especially teens.

At any given time, there are over 1,000 children who can’t stay in their homes in Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties, said the Safe Children Coalition, a local community-based nonprofit.

The large bedrooms in Mindy and Roy’s home on the Manasota campus have plenty of room for children’s belongings. Two of the large bedrooms have two bunk beds in them and attached bathrooms.
The large bedrooms in Mindy and Roy’s home on the Manasota campus have plenty of room for children’s belongings. Two of the large bedrooms have two bunk beds in them and attached bathrooms.

“There are many reasons why children come into foster care, none of which involve a foster parent; all of which are big-time struggles with the birth family that are not going to be solved overnight,” Mindy said. She and her husband maintain communication with his birth parents.

“It’s in the best interest of the child in this particular situation,” she said.

Mindy and Roy are in a unique position. Unlike most foster parents, they live on the Guardian Angels of SW Florida Campus, a collection of houses meant to make it easier for foster parents to take care of large sibling groups, which is in high demand.

The outside of Mindy and Roy’s home has plants, flowers, and a lot of toys.
The outside of Mindy and Roy’s home has plants, flowers, and a lot of toys.

The Guardian Angels campus in Palmetto was created through a partnership between Guardian Angels of SW Florida and One More Child.

The homes are move-in ready, with furniture, large bedrooms and attached bathrooms. Down the street is the Azinger Compassion Center, where foster families and others in need can get food, diapers and necessities.

Large bedrooms in Mindy and Roy’s home on the Manasota campus have plenty of room for children’s belongings. Two of the bedrooms have a set of bunk beds in them and attached bathrooms.
Large bedrooms in Mindy and Roy’s home on the Manasota campus have plenty of room for children’s belongings. Two of the bedrooms have a set of bunk beds in them and attached bathrooms.

A growing need

Florida’s ability to place siblings together has been declining since 2016. Over the past two years, the state has fallen below its target of 65%, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).

The Safe Children Coalition has slightly exceeded that target at roughly 67%.

DCF also tracks the number of children placed outside their home county, which is important data because children that remain close to their families can ‘‘maintain connections” and reduce the emotional impact of separation.

But so far in 2023, almost half of the children in the 12th Judicial Circuit — which includes Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties — were placed outside their home county, which is about 10% higher than the statewide average.

“Children who are removed from their homes suffer so much trauma: the conditions they endured that led to removal, being taken away from loved ones, and being out of the home for potentially long periods of time can detrimentally affect childhood experiences,” said Brena Slater, president and CEO of Safe Children Coalition.

“Every child in foster care has been impacted by trauma because the act of removing the child is traumatic. Plus, they were living in some environment that was bad enough that caused them to be removed,” Mindy said.

A young child, formerly in foster care, looks out the living room window. His parents fostered him since birth and ended up adopting him.
A young child, formerly in foster care, looks out the living room window. His parents fostered him since birth and ended up adopting him.

Mindy and Roy have fostered dozens of kids over the years.

“It’s a calling,” she said.

The couple attends church every week with their foster children, one of the requirements of living on the campus. “After dealing with all the brokenness, I need hope,” Mindy said.

The family’s calendar is full of court dates, doctor visits, therapy and meetings with guardians ad-litem, the childrens’ legal advocates.

One recent “exhausting” morning, it took Roy over an hour to get four children to four different schools.

“The goal is that the foster parents will help the birth parents get their life together, get their kids back, and start functioning on a positive level in society and take care of their own kids,” Mindy said.

“Manatee County supports SCC efforts with funding for two reunification teams to work hand in hand with the families as they approach reunification,” said Jacqueline House of the Safe Children Coalition. “The biggest challenge is locating affordable housing for families in the process of reunification.”

Reunification teams are a collaboration of case managers, foster caregivers, the guardian ad litem program, and children’s legal services.

The goal is to have parents work on the problems that led to their family crisis through programs and supportive resources until it is safe for children to return home. SCC remains involved with the families after reunification for a minimum of six months for supervision.

Manatee County’s reunification rate last year was 94%.

“We believe all children deserve to be in a safe, stable and nurturing home; foster families are crucial in providing that while the reunification effort is taking place,” Slater said in a release.

Feeding ten children can be daunting and even the largest kitchen can feel the strain of having enough food on hand for growing youth. Mindy and Roy said they try to have a variety of snacks available and cook their meals to accommodate the cultural tastes of the children.
Feeding ten children can be daunting and even the largest kitchen can feel the strain of having enough food on hand for growing youth. Mindy and Roy said they try to have a variety of snacks available and cook their meals to accommodate the cultural tastes of the children.

Drug abuse is No. 1 impact

The opioid epidemic has ravaged local families, prompting the removal of 902 children from their homes in 2015 in the 12th Circuit, according to state data.

Numbers have decreased over the past few years, House said, but drug abuse is still a huge problem.

She attributes that decrease to prevention and diversion programs for parents through “partnerships with local governments and foundations.”

However, there are still many challenges to finding quality foster care, House said.

“In Manatee County, it’s almost always drugs, addiction and domestic violence. Those things almost always go hand in hand. You don’t solve those overnight,” Mindy said.

“One of our kids had been living in a car for two years, had failed to go to school. He was seven, he didn’t know his alphabet, he couldn’t count to 10. He was super-vigilant because he had been the lookout for his drug-addicted mother to make sure she didn’t pass out and die of fentanyl,” she said.

A young child curiously peers at the camera with a pile of shoes belonging to the foster children he shares his home with lay on the floor.
A young child curiously peers at the camera with a pile of shoes belonging to the foster children he shares his home with lay on the floor.

Local foster care sees improvement

SCC’s data shows how the community’s efforts are steadily making a difference. After the spike of 902 children removed in 2015, 706 children were removed in 2019, and 483 in 2021.

“In the best situation, an addict is going to need 6 to 12 months of care, therapy, all of the pieces that it takes to heal a parent before a parent is then able to get a job, get a home, transportation get functional and stable enough to take care of themselves, then take a care of a baby or a child or a teenager,” Mindy said.

Mindy pulls open a drawer filled with hair ties and beads from a bank of drawers filled with toiletries and other necessities that foster children can access any time they want. Mindy said she has taken training to be able to do many different cultural hairstyles to make her foster children feel secure.
Mindy pulls open a drawer filled with hair ties and beads from a bank of drawers filled with toiletries and other necessities that foster children can access any time they want. Mindy said she has taken training to be able to do many different cultural hairstyles to make her foster children feel secure.

Last year, 160 Manatee County foster children were reunited with their families.

But there has been a loss in foster homes because the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes, House said.

“The children entering the system of care have greater needs than in past years, especially with the teens entering care,” House said.

In 2022, 78 foster children and sibling groups were cared for on the Manatee campus, according to a Guardian Angels annual report. Two more foster homes are under construction as the community grows, filling a desperate need.

“Guardian Angels of SW Florida raises all necessary funds for the campus in Palmetto, every home built, and the licensing specialists in Circuit 12. One More Child provides the oversight and programming for our local staff and foster families. It’s a match made in Heaven,” Tim Boyd, director of Guardian Angels of SW Florida, said in an email to the Bradenton Herald.

“An increase in the number of available licensed foster care homes could better meet the needs of children who require placement in safe, loving homes,” SCC said.

“Foster parents don’t want to keep your kids — I promise! — we don’t!” Mindy said.

“It’s a beautiful, messy story.”

The children’s rooms in Mindy and Roy’s home have personal touches to make children feel at home.
The children’s rooms in Mindy and Roy’s home have personal touches to make children feel at home.
Sibling groups have their own cabinet with a child-proof lock to keep the toddler out for their special foods, usually provided by their parents on visits.
Sibling groups have their own cabinet with a child-proof lock to keep the toddler out for their special foods, usually provided by their parents on visits.
Mindy and Roy’s van can seat 15 with several car seats to accommodate the 10 children, foster and adopted, that they care for.
Mindy and Roy’s van can seat 15 with several car seats to accommodate the 10 children, foster and adopted, that they care for.
A hallway in Mindy and Roy’s home is lined with bookshelves and filled with books and toys for all ages.
A hallway in Mindy and Roy’s home is lined with bookshelves and filled with books and toys for all ages.

How to be a foster parent

SCC is holding an information session on July 18 for those interested in becoming foster parents in Circuit 12 (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto Counties).

For more information visit sccfl.org/foster or call Jeremy Gorzynski at 941-404-0079.