Vol. 1, No. 2 • Summer 1997

What Would You Do?: The Case of Tasha
by Joanne Caye and John McMahon

Sara and Bill Jamison are relatively new foster parents. They have had two foster children for short periods of time. The kids were pretty stable, and the placements went fine. Sara and Bill expressed a preference for teens, since their own children were grown, and they felt they could work with children this age.

Tasha, 14, came to stay with them. Her original placement was supposed to be for 3 nights. That was 3 months ago. Tasha has been a challenge since day one. She is like no other teen the Jamisons have met. If they don't supervise her continuously, they find her in Sara's dresser drawers, looking at the contents. Some items have disappeared. Tasha denies taking anything.

The school is calling almost every day, saying that Tasha talks suggestively to her classmates, and seems very proud of her extensive sexual knowledge.

Although the social worker said nothing to the Jamisons about sexual abuse, they are aware of the high percentage of foster children who have been sexually abused, and want to learn more about her.

No one else from the agency has come to visit since Tasha's arrival. After they left several messages for their social worker, the receptionist told the Jamisons that that person has left the agency, and that their caseload is "uncovered" at the moment. She assured the Jamisons that someone would contact them as soon as possible. The Jamisons were reluctant to call this an emergency, but are becoming more and more worried about how to help Tasha, and about the possibility that Tasha might sexually abuse someone else, or that she is already sexually active, and will become pregnant, or have an STD. They don't know the system well, and are not sure what to do.

What would you want to tell the Jamisons? What would you do in their place? Let us know. E-mail: [email protected]. To read the response in the next issue, see "What Would You Do? Tasha and the Jamisons: Summary and Response."

Copyright � 2000 Jordan Institute for Families