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Children in Need of Care Open Heart: The church is particularly concerned about children. Poverty, unsafe homes or homelessness, malnutrition, lack of health care, lack of adequate education, youth unemployment, HIV-AIDS, drugs and alcohol, child abuse, are part of the problems that impact children all over the world. Children in our own state grow up surrounded by hunger, violence and loneliness, and these factors disproportionately affect children of color. We all believe that families should be responsible for their own children. However, this sometimes doesn’t happen due to circumstances beyond the control of the family, and children suffer as a result. In 2002, over 5000 children were in foster care (placement out-of-home.) The State should be urged to provide programs of the highest quality for these very vulnerable children. Several years ago the State of Kansas embarked on a new way to provide services to children in need of care. Privatization means that private agencies are now providing major programs of care for children and youth and their families, formerly served by State programs. For example, foster care is now the responsibility of private agencies across the state. The hope is that the private sector, with flexibility and creativity, might service children better, combining federal and state funds with private donations. Much has been learned, some progress has been made, and the process continues as defined by SRS and the private agencies. A private agency which wishes to provide child placement services should seek a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS), Division of Services to Children and Youth, Topeka. Churches and faith families share with the State of Kansas the desire that all children have stable and loving homes. When that does not happen in the child’s family of origin, alternatives are needed. We also share with the State the desire that children have stable, loving temporary care until permanent care can be found. The systems that provide these services are very complex and need strengthening to meet the needs of the 5000 children in the system. Caring for children should be our highest priority, not a program to be cut when agency budgets are reduced. Budgets which cut or put children’s services at risk are inhuman and short-sighted. States must invest in children, because children are our future. Churches are urged to help private agencies recruit families who will provide foster care or adoptive homes. Church families could offer to children and youth what they need most. Families receive funds from the State to cover the living expenses of the child. It is important for families considering this ministry to know that many children needing care are deeply trouble, even scarred, and the love, time and energy required will be great. Also, we urge families embarking on this ministry to complete the training required but also to seek additional emotional and spiritual support. We also urge churches to hold training for all workers with children and youth, doing our best to protect children and youth in our church settings. Protecting and nurturing our children gives them a chance to discover who God intends them to be. We are in constant danger of passing on to our children brokenness and pain. We always have the possibility of sharing love and services that will mend their lives and our world. Perhaps the one obstacle in their way to dignity is lack of care. The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church assert: “We believe that the state should not attempt to control the church, nor should the church seek to dominate the state. ‘Separation of church and state’ means no organic union of the two, but it does permit interaction. The church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programs deemed to be just, and opposing policies that are unjust.”
Open Mind: Mark 10:13-16 has Jesus welcoming and blessing the children. When we fail to care for children we are neglecting the very foundation of society. We will pay dearly for generations for our failures to provide children with the care they need. Children are powerless and cannot speak for themselves. A helpful book for your data about children across Kansas and in your county: Kansas Kids Count Data Book, 2003, published yearly by Kansas Action for Children, 715 SW 10th ST., Topeka, KS 66612. 785-232-0550. Another helpful book: National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths, Worship, educational, community outreach, and advocacy resources for Protestant, Catholic, Episcopal, Jewish and other faith traditions, published yearly by the Children’s Defense Fund, 25 E St N.W., Washington D.C. 20078-0176. 202-628-8787. Websites to visit: Open doors:
Housing a Head Start program which serves low-income preschool children can also provide an opportunity for the church to make a difference in the lives of these young children and their parents. Head Start offers comprehensive services including educational activities, health care, immunizations, dental care, and good nutrition, with a strong emphasis on parental involvement. Research substantiates that children’s programs providing comprehensive services including education, health care, immunizations and nutrition can save more money than they cost. One dollar spent on early care and education services saves seven dollars needed for later social services, and the Kansas Child Health Insurance program - Health Wave- will benefit all of Kansas for years to come.
Open Mind: The thought of community children invading church space is often a difficult barrier to overcome in mission to children. They bring energy and love, but they also bring wear and tear on church property. They bring additional responsibility that must, in any program, be handled with adequate staff, space, and equipment, adequate preparation, adequate insurance, and adequate funding. In some instances, the church has solved the problem of wear and tear on the church by providing after-school care in the school gym rather than in the church, but the other responsibilities are still there. Jesus said “Let the children come to me.” The churches that are growing are those that have a focus outside themselves. If you will make the choice to love children by providing safety, space, supervision and appropriate activities, your church will be blessed over and over.
Open Doors: Randolph UMC offers “Bibles and Baloney,” an occasional program between the time school is out and the time children attend evening school activities, like ball games. The school district offers a wonderful program of a light supper, movies, and directed activities. Other churches offer a daily before and after-school program. Some churches invite members to volunteer in school classrooms and in school programs, and hold forums at the school or church on parental controls of the internet. |
