The residential program had a 16-year-old foster
child enter custody after her aunt and uncle informed DCS she and her brother
were no longer welcomed in their home, primarily after finding out she was
pregnant. Custody of this girl was given to her paternal uncle and his wife
after the death of both of her parents. This child suffered extreme verbal
abuse from her uncle, was in an abusive relationship, and often reminded that
she was to blame for her and her brother's situation. Another home was found, this time with a foster parent who had been through almost identical situations in her teenage years. The girl was able to learn positive parenting, time management, and coping
skills. She was able to graduate high
school with little to no support from her uncle and aunt. The Porter-Leath
foster parent and her child’s father were the only two people who attended her
high school graduation, although her aunt did drop her off at the graduation
location. This girl has gone on to obtain her own apartment and car, maintain
custody of her son without having more children, and recently becoming a
college student majoring in Social Work. She is a shining example of achieving a healthy, optimal and independent lifestyle.