In City's Care, Foster Children Suffer Abuse, Assault

[Nambe]

The Washington Post

Two populations of D.C. children are sent to group homes -- juveniles charged with or convicted of crimes and foster children who have been abused or neglected. While the juvenile homes have tougher children and more runaways, the foster homes have problems of their own.

A group home counselor punched a 10-year-old boy in the face and stomach for misbehaving. Another counselor sexually molested two girls, 13 and 14. Four mentally retarded children were found last summer in a house with no air conditioning and with some of its windows sealed with plastic and duct tape.

They were among 21 cases of abuse or neglect at some of the city's 71 foster-care group homes and independent-living programs, substantiated by the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency, in a 19-month period ending in May. ---

"Group homes get, on average, $40,000 per teen, per year, yet residents live in poverty, often without basic necessities," the Young Women's Project, a local advocacy organization, concluded last year. ---

[DagmarK]

1. $40K PER kid? That's CASH.....

I lived on that less state and federal taxes and paid a hefty mortgage and property taxes and car insur and well.....EVERYTHING.....and I didn't feel I was poverty stricken.

Man!

[RobinA]

3. I Would Be Very Surprised

if that number is correct.

[jiacinto]

2. This is horrible

Children in this country are treated so horribly. Sometimes I just don't understand why society writes them off.