“These children never had a loving environment to start with; if they did they would not have been in a foster situation. “

Aw no… no no no Philo you can’t believe that. It is just horrible to make the assumption that each child in care should be in care, govt makes no mistakes, they are better off in care etc. I know it makes foster parents feel better to believe all this but it just is not true.

“To suggest that the foster parents had a deleterious effect on these children might be unfair.”

I’d like to not only suggest it but scream it from the rooftops Philo. Many many do have terribly harmful effects on foster children, the way the system is set up endangers children and makes ignoring the abuse of foster children beneficial to those that should be reporting it and taking action to cause no further harm.

It’s 50/50 in my experience where half the children have been abused or neglected in some way by a biological parent while the other half were abused in the homes of foster parents.

You are so right Jewely.
Not all foster parents are paragons of virtue, regardless of their thoughts on God and religion.

The courts did the right thing refusing these bigoted people the right to foster children.

I hope they keep up the good work and continue trying to protect vulnerable children against any extremist's hate-fueled views on any important subject.

Says the arrogant and ignorant.

Just what DO you say StG?
Anything pleasant and constructive?
No?

In answer to your excellent thread raised Truthnow, I believe the question should be: Do you think children and their Foster Parents should be followed up on a more regular basis and continually until the child has turned of age.

I knew quite a few foster children growing up, some of whom, the day they turned 16yrs, flew out of their foster home, never looking back or returning. Religion or Christianity were not the reasons for leaving.

People who believe in God or Jesus Christ or a Spirit OR are you referring to people who follow religions Truthnow, termed the 'religious'?

Regardless of the above, how on earth is one able to pose a question that is based on generalisations of Australians who do believe in Jesus Christ and proclaim themselves to be Christians?

It is comparable to posing the following questions: Do you think Non-believers should be fostering children? Do you think Athiests should be fostering children? Do you think people who practice Buddhism should foster children? Do you think people who work full time climbing career ladders earning $400,000K between them, while placing their babies of 6 weeks old into full time day care all the way through their childhoods, should be parents? Do you think parents who stay at home with their children during their primary years, all the way through, and do not have a career, should be parents? The list goes on.

Suze”:You are so right Jewely. “

Just let me bask for a second. :)

Suze:“Not all foster parents are paragons of virtue, regardless of their thoughts on God and religion”

Hell no, they’re trudging along the path of good intentions often enjoying an insular but money making/drama enhancing/sympathy invoking environment.

Stg.. I totally missed your deleted response, which was probably important and honest but disallowed. If you feel like it please clarify the whole ignorant comment (carefully).

Bloody hell weareunique, how basic are these questions:

“Do you think Non-believers should be fostering children?”

Yep.

“ Do you think Athiests should be fostering children? “

Yep.

“Do you think people who practice Buddhism should foster children? “

Yep.

“Do you think people who work full time climbing career ladders earning $400,000K between them, while placing their babies of 6 weeks old into full time day care all the way through their childhoods, should be parents? “

Nup. A-holes but CS NSW would love them.

“Do you think parents who stay at home with their children during their primary years, all the way through, and do not have a career, should be parents?“

Yep.

“The list goes on.”

No it really doesn’t. Parenting another person’s child really isn’t that difficult to do well unless you are a moron. Problem is there is a hell of a lot of morons out there. AND AGAIN – it isn’t what you believe; it is what beliefs you will attempt to make foster children believe that is wrong.