Each year, the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services handles thousands of cases. The faces of the children are often shielded and protected.
But as part of LA County’s Family Reunification Week, the spotlight was on them as they reunited with their parents Tuesday, seen as success stories of an often-criticized system.
“This is my oldest, Tatiana, my middle is Jalysia,” Tashasha Richmond said through a translator.
As part of the week-long series of events, stories like Richmond's are being celebrated.
“I feel better, I feel like I'm a different person,” she said.
After years of them being in and out of foster care, Richmond has her four children back. She is deaf, and wasn't able to care for her special needs kids until her social worker helped her through it.
“You were able to focus, you fought for your children, you did everything that was required and you achieved all your goals,” her translator said as she joined Richmond and her children.
Richmond's story is unique, but her success within LA County's Department of Children and Family Services is not. Every year, 6,000 parents are safely reunited with their children.
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This week is about highlighting those success stories.
“It feels good!” said another parent, Angel, about being reunited with his children.
For him, getting his four children out of the system seemed impossible.
For 18 years, he was hooked on drugs. At his rock bottom, they were living in and out of local hotels.
“Quite a struggle and a lot of footwork, a lot,” he said, describing the long process to get his children back. “You know, just thinking about them.”
Today, Angel has four years sobriety under his belt. His four children are now living nder his own roof.
“Thinking about them being separated as siblings and (being) able to reunite them and to grow up together, it’s a good feeling,” he said.
Officials said reunification is the best possible outcome for families that end up in the system.
“The reward that we get in our system is when we see a family reunified so that children can grow up in a safe and healthy environment,” said Judge Michael Nash, who presides over a Los Angeles County juvenile court.
