When Dallas CASA volunteer Linda met the Warren siblings, she found a solidly bonded foursome who knew exactly what they wanted.
The children came into foster care after their mother was taken to the hospital hallucinating and acting erratically. She tested positive for multiple drugs and doctors also discovered she was pregnant with her fifth child.
Siblings Kaden, Donovan, Brennan and Jade told Linda where they wanted to be – with their grandmother. But was a grandmother ready to take on raising four children with another on the way? Could she handle the boisterous group?
Linda arranged to meet the children’s grandmother, Desiree. She found a young grandmother who loved her family very much. She knew the children’s mother was battling a drug problem and assured Linda she could keep the children safe. Desiree told Linda she was nervous but up to the task of raising the children, who needed structure and consistency.
She was ready to accept whatever help CPS and CASA could offer.
Over the next few months, as the children settled into their grandmother’s house, Linda modeled parenting for the children’s grandmother. She helped her understand report cards from the children’s school. She attended a parent-teacher conference with Desiree to show her how to communicate with teachers and the school. She helped Desiree research PreK programs for Jade, age 4. She explained to Desiree why the children needed to be in school every day, giving Desiree the words she needed to explain that to the children too.
She met with the children individually and in groups and listened to their wants and needs. She shared meals with the family and helped all four children get access to therapies they needed to catch up in school and process their trauma.
When baby sibling Kaine was born, Linda watched as his siblings helped their grandmother care for him. She helped Desiree locate a set of bunk beds for two of the boys to make room for Kaine’s crib in their affordable apartment. When Brennan’s bike chain broke, Linda came over and showed him how to fix it.
Linda ate lunch at school with the kids, took the oldest ones to the zoo and served as a chaperone for one child’s school field trip. In everything she did, Linda modeled for the siblings and their grandmother what a healthy, loving family did.
With Linda’s help, the kids got exactly what they wanted plus so much more. They are together with family – loved, safe and being raised by their grandmother who’s armed with strong parenting skills.
