The call came and within five hours I was cradling a precious child in my arms.......a child that had been removed from family and placed in the custody of Greenville County Department of Social Services.
I was filled with so many emotions, thoughts, and questions. Who would be this child's caseworker? What outside services, if any, would this child need? Where will we find a physician that was willing to accept a new Medicaid patient?
Foster parents are confronted with a number of challenges as they try to attend to the needs of the child that has been placed in their care. The experience can be overwhelming and frustrating, however, at the end of the day, it is one of the most rewarding and humbling.
Within twenty-four hours after placement, I received another phone call. It was the Child Advocate from The Assessment Center at Pendleton Place.
Through the collaborative effort and community partnership of Greenville County Department of Social Services (DSS), the Greenville Health System, and United Way, the Assessment Center offers an innovative approach/service system, in a centralized location, where the primary goal is to conduct initial developmental and medical assessments to children and families entering the foster care system.
To read more of Jan's story and her experience with the Assessment Center at Pendleton Place, click here.
