There were an estimated 34,000 children involved in the foster care system in Texas in the year 2006, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The new bill will create a list of rights that belong to every foster child so that each and every one would be educated on their personal freedoms and legal rights.
"A lot of the kids in foster care have gone through an awful lot. Their parents may be incarcerated, deceased, on drugs or may have had rights terminated," Uresti said. "We just want to give them respect and hope."
Foster children would then be presented with their own copy of this bill of rights, and someone would sit down and explain the list to them so that they understand their rights, something that will empower many foster children and hopefully cut down on the abuse that many foster children suffer. In addition, if the child has a learning disability or speaks a language other than English, the list of rights would be presented to them in a way so that they understand them.
"The legislation asserts a foster child's right to a safe, healthy, and comfortable home that's free of abuse, discrimination, or harassment. It would mean a foster child has the right to adequate amounts of healthy food and appropriate medical care. The bill would allow children to attend religious services of their choice, give them certain rights to privacy, and allow participation in extracurricular activities," an article on www.mysanantonio.com stated.
