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No break on foster care accountability: Agencies have a lot of nerve asking for a favor now

March 10, 2011

Some legislators are more interested in protecting the private sector than they are in protecting Florida’s children. Identical bills in the House and Senate would cap damages that private, not-for-profit agencies in charge of foster care must pay in lawsuits, regardless of negligence. Great timing. This week, Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins admitted to a Senate committee that the death last month of 10-year-old Nubia Barahona and near death of her twin brother, Victor, resulted from systemic failures within DCF and one of those private agencies.

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Alexia Nechayev

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.

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