On Jan. 20, religious, community and city officials met at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York (ICCNY) to address the urgent need for Muslim foster homes in New York City, and to come up with possible solutions. Presently, there is no NYC foster care agency that specializes in placing Muslim children into Islamic foster homes. The main problem, many Muslim advocates say, is that when a special need arises such as a family court order, parental request, or emergency placement, most children are placed into non-Muslim homes. As reported in a Jan. 16, 2004 Muslims Weekly article, “There are 3,000 Muslim children under the age of 18 who are living in non-Muslim homes as foster children in New York City” and “ ... as a result ... learn about other religions and drift away from their own.”
After welcoming statements made by ICCNY Imam Omar Salem Abu Namous, the program called attention to three key issues: finding people willing to take in children of various ages, including teenagers, proposing a plan to start an agency, and time/budget matters. Global Children and Family Services Foundation (GCFSF.) and moderator A.T. Alishiari said the reason that he and others met with NYC’s Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) was to address these issues.
“Unfortunately, some children cannot be maintained at home with relatives or friends, but we want to make sure that when that happens these kids are placed into Muslim foster homes,” Alishiari stated.
New York City’s ACS Commissioner William C. Bell said, “The challenge is how do we educate those who are in place to deliver this help.” Assistant Commissioner Zeinab Chahine added, “Government cannot parent children. It takes a willing, committed, loving adult to do that.”
Bell emphasized the significant amount of time needed to get a city-certified Muslim foster care agency set up. “In three or four years, we can get a Muslim agency up and running, but in the meantime, it can be seen as time to formulate what to do and make sure that the agency is above reproach.”
At one point after the discussion, Imam Baqi asked about a former Islamic agency, Islamic Family Services. Commissioner Bell said, “Islamic Family Services weren’t just summarily put out of business. They did something wrong.” He added, “When you create an agency, you have to make sure they are beyond reproach.” The agency’s executive director pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the third degree in 1998.
Several questions followed. Most wanted to know how to shorten the time to get the agency going and if there are any in existence. “Getting a city contract is along protracted process ... there are no Islamic foster care agencies to date. That doesn’t mean that there never was one. There have been but they didn’t work. That’s why we are trying to give you the foundation to help make it work,” Bell responded. He also said that the city agency is not ready to handle the situation of placing children specifically into same-religion households. “We don’t have the manpower,” he added.
Abdel Hafid and Sharonne Salaam asked about sensitivity programs for New York City Family Court judges, and how ACS workers handle cultural differences.
ICCNY Imam Abu Namous closed the meeting by saying, “Everyone of us must get involved. Each one of us should tell himself, if I don’t get involved, nothing will get done. Please, let no one say let the imams do it. Everyone must be willing to do something.”
For more information, Global Children and Family Services Foundation, a private agency located in Riverdale, N.Y., can be reached at 917-217-4177. The Administration of Children Services can be reached at 212-226-7125.
