Child-Abuse Deaths Prompt Lawmakers to Weigh Overhauls
By ARIAN CAMPO-FLORES March 20, 2014 8:27 p.m. ET One 3-year-old boy died after his caregivers allegedly straitjacketed him in a blanket and put him
By ARIAN CAMPO-FLORES March 20, 2014 8:27 p.m. ET One 3-year-old boy died after his caregivers allegedly straitjacketed him in a blanket and put him
BY THE SECOND HALF OF LAST YEAR, CHILDREN IN South Florida were entering the state dependency system by “leaps and bounds,” one official said. Removed from
After a series of highly publicized child deaths last year, the House and Senate are taking different approaches to fixing the state child-welfare system —
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER AND AUDRA D.S. BURCH MIAMI HERALD The Miami Herald investigates how 477 children died of abuse or neglect after falling through
By Megan E. Davis Associate Editor While a common rite of passage for most 16-year-olds, the opportunity to get a driver’s license remains out of
MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) February 18, 2014 9:18 PM A bill that would give teens and young adults in foster care greater access to driver’s licenses unanimously
BY MARGIE MENZEL NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA/TALLAHASSEE The suicide of 7-year-old Gabriel Myers in foster care shocked the child-welfare system in 2009. It led to
Tuition and Fee Exemption for Florida”s Foster Youth. The White Paper looks at an examination of the efficacy of existing efforts, barriers to usage, and
by: Christina Spudeas, Robin Rosenberg, and Andrea Cowart North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) Adoptalk Summer 2013 Edition “We just want to do
BY MARY ELLEN KLAS HERALD/TIMES TALLAHASSEE BUREAU The question before the Senate committee was simple: Why did Florida’s child welfare system fail to protect the
FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach)
Hello, My name is Alexia Nechayev. I am 25 years old and I am an alumna of Florida International University where I received my B.A. in Psychology. My future career goal is to be a Lawyer. I was in care for about one year from age 17 to 18. Prior to entering care, I only knew about the negative stigma regarding foster care and while in care that narrative was unfortunately my experience.
In school I felt like I was on display because my status in care was broadcast to other students and in my placement behavior was leveraged for “privileges” that should be a natural right of all children. Because I did not know my rights I did not know that what I was experiencing was wrong. Today this is exactly why I advocate, because I don’t want this to be the same for other youth who are experiencing foster care.
This is my second year on the FYS Statewide Board and I’m happy to be the Events and Meetings Chair this year because my main goal through advocacy is to reach as many people as possible. My favorite thing as a board member is to see how comfortable members become while working together. The community needs to know that youth in foster care are real people, going through some of the hardest moments of their life and youth need to know that their voice is powerful. I believe that we have to speak up and bring these issues to people’s attention so that they do not forget us. Advocacy, education and consistency is the only way.