It’s a devastating blow for nursing mothers and parents of very young or developmentally delayed children whose communication ability is limited already.
Biological parents battling to regain custody of children in foster care could lose crucial bonding time and see reunification stymied as dependency courts nationwide cancel hearings and suspend face-to-face family visits over coronavirus concerns.
“Even if it's not the parents’ fault they didn’t bond , it will certainly affect reunification and possibly slow them down,” Brower said. “We’re hoping it won’t be used against them.” When virus-prevention efforts ramped up last week, McKee was notified that her visits would switch to virtual. Still, she said she feels lucky. Her daughter’s foster parents have made an effort to continue in-person contact when possible.
In Florida, Foster and Adoptive Parent Association president Amanda Cruce is encouraging all child welfare agencies to move to electronic visitation, but acknowledges the resulting emotional impact on parents who long to hold and hug their kids. At Children’s Network of Southwest Florida, a nonprofit that contracts with the Florida Department of Children and Families to provide child welfare services in the Fort Myers area, CEO Nadereh Salim says helping parents stay positive is a priority.
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