In Monroe County there are more than 400 children in foster care. Many enter the system as a result of abuse and/or neglect.
In honor of Child Abuse Awareness month, WXXI News – in participation with Side Effects Public Media – is presenting Fragile Lives, a series about the health outcomes of children in foster care.
Lead reporter Michelle Faust joins our discussion to examine why foster kids are at a higher risk for trauma, and we explore the efforts to make their lives better. We also discuss the Foster Stories project. If you're a former foster child with a story to tell, stories are collected here.
Our guests:
- Damon Bradford, SUNY Brockport senior and former foster kid
- Elisabeth Coykendall, former foster kid
- Amy Realbuto, nurse practitioner at Starlight Pediatrics