By Elizabeth Morabito & Amy Sugimoto

Six years ago, Jeanette Barrett had visions of traveling and seeing the world in her retirement years, when, to her shock, she learned that her great-nieces and great-nephew had been taken away from their drug-addicted birth parents and split up into three different foster homes throughout the Sacramento region.

Done raising her son and daughter, and on her own since 1993 (after her first husband of twenty-three years, Jay, passed away), Jeanette was not an obvious candidate for raising five children. But when told about their dire circumstances, Jeannette readily agreed to be a “back up” choice, just in case. At the time, Jeannette was not close to the children and she did not expect to be chosen, but as other family members were ruled out, one by one, for a variety of reasons, ultimately she was the only one left.

Six-year-old Raeven, five-year-old Donecia, four-year-old Ciara and the one-year-old twins, Damian and Dariana, desperately needed a stable family. Jeanette recalls picking them up from the foster home: “The kids were stunned,” she says. Having been through so much, they were living in a daze. Jeanette offered them the loving home they were looking for, and so much more. Although their adoptions were not finalized until 2005, Jeanette has been “Mom” from day one.

Great challenges, greater rewards

Not only did the Barretts face the many day-to-day struggles typical of a family of six, as well as medical and emotional special needs, but the only loving father figure the children remembered passed away suddenly in 2006. “Daddy Bob,” Jeanette’s second husband for six short weeks, intended to adopt the children too, but succumbed to acute leukemia within two weeks of diagnosis. Losing Daddy Bob was another tragic blow, but the family persevered.

Today, five years later, the children are all thriving in their great-aunt’s care, and Jeannette likewise feels very blessed. Jeannette is a typical “soccer mom,” on the road constantly, shuttling the kids to school, church and community activities. All five kids sing and are well-known locally for their talents. Locals call them the “Barrett Bunch,” and they are frequently seen at ceremonies, fundraisers and community events.

“These kids are our future,” says Jeanette. “What would have happened to them?” The possibilities are almost too sad to consider. Statistics show that children in the foster care system who never find a family are at great risk. Over 70% of incarcerated adults were at one time foster youth, and 40% of youth who "age out" of the system before finding adoptive families end up homeless within 18 months.

To a foster child, adoption means having a home to call one’s own, but it means even more than that. It means feeling safe. It means being safe. It means being able to count on someone else. It means belonging. The Barrett children are living, glowing examples of what a difference that sense of belonging makes.

“The most wonderful thing”

Every one of the Barrett girls has excelled in school. Raeven, the eldest child in the Barrett Bunch, is the leader of the pack. She participated in the National Youth Leadership Conference held in Washington D.C. last year and will be attending the Inaugural Ball in January. Her three sisters, Dariana, Donecia and Ciara all want to open a veterinary clinic.

Damien is the “little man of the house.” Although he is the youngest, he feels very protective of the girls in his family. Jeanette says he is “very clever and can put anything together.” One day he wants to follow in Daddy Bob’s footsteps and join the armed forces.

Jeanette says Lilliput Children’s Services, the Northern California agency that helped her, “has been a life-saver.” She says that Lilliput was there for her “right from the beginning,” offering informal kinship support and working with the family through the complicated guardianship and adoption process. Lilliput employees and volunteers describe their commitment to families as “lifelong,” and, indeed, the organization and its staff are still an important part of the Barretts’ lives.

Jeanette and the kids regularly attend Lilliput’s kinship support group which allows them to meet others with similar experiences, make new friends and receive valuable support. Jeanette is an avid supporter of Lilliput’s Kinship Support Services Program and frequently advocates for this program and the needs of other kinship families.

As Community Relations Director for Lilliput Children's Services, Amy Sugimoto works to ensure that the plight of foster children is not forgotten. As Community Relations Coordinator for Lilliput Children's Services, Elizabeth Morabito reports on the issues that impact today's foster youth and advocates for their needs. You may contact the authors by e-mail at asugimoto@lilliput.org and emorabito@lilliput.org.