'This won't be easy. Do it anyway': Slogan inspires future foster parents in Racine

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RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Becoming a foster parent isn't easy. The list of requirements is long but one single mom with a desire to help was surprised to learn you don't need to be married, and you don't even need a house.

On CBS 58 Sunday Morning Michele Fiore highlights the need for care across our community.

BECOMING A FOSTER PARENT ISN'T EASY. THE LIST OF REQUIREMENTS IS LONG. BUT ONE SINGLE MOM WITH A DESIRE TO HELP WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN YOU DON'T NEED TO BE MARRIED, AND YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A HOUSE.

WE ARRIVED AT THE TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT OF CECILE SINGH AROUND LUNCHTIME. "You guys already wash your hands, right?" Singh says out loud.

"Let's see here, this is Jazelle's microwave cheese," Singh says as she looks in the refrigerator and two girls walk up.

THAT'S MOM, HER DAUGHTER JAZELLE, AND A SWEET SIX-YEAR-OLD WHOSE NAME WE CAN'T SHARE.

"Miss Cecile, you look like me," says the six-year-old who Singh is fostering. "I look like you? What?" says Singh playfully.

"The first day you look at this child just you're sad, you know they come to you, and you want to cry because that background you know what happened, their past and how they ended up with me," says Singh.

FOR TWO YEARS NOW, CECILE SINGH'S BEEN PRIVY TO A LOT OF SAD STORIES, SHARED IN CONFIDENCE IN HER TWO-BEDROOM RACINE APARTMENT.

"They realize I don't judge. I mean I've had some that just tells me their like, dislikes, what they been through, what drugs they're on. I give them a towel, toothbrush, everything, I show them the room and they're like, this is gonna be my room? I said yes and they're giving me that look like wow, I don't have to share? Then within three, four days you just start noticing, like the true personalities come out. I'm like uh oh (giggles)" says Singh.

THE SINGLE MOM FELT A CALLING. SO, SHE STARTED SHARING *HER* BEDROOM WITH JAZELLE AND OFFERING HER SECOND BEDROOM TO CHILDREN IN-NEED.

"Snow glows white on the mountain tonight," the six-year-old sings a song she knows.

FOSTERING A CHILD CAN LAST DAYS TO MONTHS TO YEARS.

"Let it go, can't hold it back anymore (blur her face), let it go, let it go," as the song continues.

THIS SPUNKY SIX YEAR OLD'S THE SIXTH CHILD SINGH'S HAD IN HER HOME SINCE 2021.

"Went to the store and I wasn't expecting a six-year-old to say well why are you paying for everything? Aren't we supposed to steal?" says Singh.

HEARTBREAKING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME INSPIRING, KNOWING HER LOVING CARE COULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF A CHILD'S LIFE.

"Little things with her was me putting lotion on her she's like what's this? I'm like, I'm cutting her nails, everything was like you know. -57 What was really sad was that first night when I put her, I laid her down to bed, she's like please don't ever leave me," says Singh.

AFTER LUNCH, IT'S PLAYTIME. THESE ARE GOOD DAYS, BUT SINGH'S HAD HER SHARE OF BAD TOO. ONE TEEN TOOK THE CAR KEYS AND TOOK OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

"I just had this shocked look on my face. I'm like so you mean you took my car? She said Miss Cecile I had my seat belt on, I drove slow, but I did smoke all kinds of stuff, picked up a few friends and I'm like, but it's my car and you know you took it without permission, you don't even have a permit, so she was upset at me (giggles)" says Singh.

RACINE COUNTY YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES TELLS NEW FOSTER FAMILIES IN FULL DISCLOSURE IT WON'T BE EASY.

"They are entering care bringing with them a multitude of traumas they've experienced in their lives and somebody who can have the patience and the resiliency to assist that kid and see that through is of significant advantage," says Steve Bedwell, Manager of Youth and Family Services for Racine County.

STEVE BEDWELL'S THE MANAGER AND SAYS RACINE COUNTY RIGHT NOW IS OVERSEEING 145 OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS, A 30 PERCENT INCREASE FROM THE 110 THEY HAD IN OCTOBER OF 2022. FINDING HOMES FOR ALL THOSE KIDS, NOT EASY. BEDWELL SAYS THE INCREASE IN FOSTER PARENTS HASN'T GROWN AT THE SAME RATE. SO RACINE COUNTY HAS A NEW CAMPAIGN CALLED, "DO IT ANYWAY."

"You know we've had kids in Tennessee, in North Carolina, that's miles away from the Racine County community and that just takes on a devastating toll to the family, to our ability to get that kid back, to our ability to quickly get that kid back, and it's an added stress on the taxpayer. The cost of housing a kid outside of our state is an added stress on the taxpayers and our system and it reduces the resources we have available to do supportive work in our community," said Bedwell.

We met one couple who walked through these doors over four months ago and said we know it won't be easy, but we want to do it anyway.

"We know (sighs) we know it's not gonna be easy but decided it was the right decision for us," said Nicole Hess, Future Foster Mom.

"For the longest time we didn't want to have a family, just the two of us and then we decide to try and have a family and it just can't work for us," said Eric Hess, Future Foster Dad.

"Their current new slogan that Racine County is using is I think really resonates with me, with us because again we know this is not going to be an easy road," said Nicole Hess.

THE PROCESS STARTS ONLINE ANSWERING QUESTIONS. THERE ARE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS ONE AND CLASSES TOO. AT THIS POINT, ALL THAT'S LEFT FOR THE HESSES IS A CERTIFICATE FROM THE STATE. FOR NOW, THEY'RE QUALIFIED TO DO RESPITE CARE FOR FOSTER PARENTS AND HAD THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THAT LAST MONTH.

"I was nervous (giggles) but things went really well and yea," said Nicole Hess.

TURNS OUT IT WAS RESPITE CARE FOR CECILE SINGH, A WEEKEND BREAK FOR HER TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

"With me I also was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year July and then on top of that since I was eight, I've had seizures," said Singh.

BUT SHE'S DETERMINED TO NOT LET CANCER GET IN THE WAY OF BEING MOM TO JAZELLE, AND "MISS CECILE" TO THE YOUNG LADIES WHO WALK THROUGH HER DOOR.

"All the teenagers almost all five I've had it's 3, 4 in the morning you get that phone call, so you maybe tidy up a little bit, make sure everything is set and they have a seat, we chat for a little bit," said Singh.

THE COUNTY'S A GOOD RESOURCE FOR FOSTER FAMILIES.

"We will devote all of our attention and efforts to make sure that it's successful to help everybody out through that process because we want a successful outcome. We have a child to heal and to put them on the right path, to reunify them with their family," said Bedwell.

REUNIFICATION IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.

"There was one who when she left, I was teary eyed. Thirteen, she was a prostitute at 13. So, you know all you can do is go to bed at night, but you know inside you're sad, you just cry," said Singh.

SINGH SAYS THIS SIX YEAR OLD'S COME A LONG WAY SINCE FEBRUARY, LEARNING HOW TO COUNT TO 100, FINALLY BECOMING POTTY TRAINED, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, FEELING THE LOVE THAT EVEN A SMALL FAMILY CAN GIVE.

"When I drive, I look in the rear view. They both hold their hands, and you know so, then they both have the purple scrunchy, sunglasses, water bottle everywhere they go it's (giggles) But that's the hardest part is like you don't know when you know as long as they have family willing to take them back or take them in, they are going or eventually going to go. You dread that day you know," said Singh.

IF YOUR HEART'S TELLING YOU MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU LIKE IT WAS FOR SINGH, YOU CAN GIVE THE RACINE COUNTY YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES A CALL AT 262-638-7720 OR GO ONLINE AT www.racinecounty.com/fostercare OR www.doitanyway.org


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