There are approximately 20,000 children in the foster care system in Australia. Some of them stay in the system for their entire childhood. Some have permanent foster care, but many are shuffled from one home to another. It is often described as a system in crisis, but how many of us would actually open our hearts and homes to help? Deborah Lee is one of the unsung heroes of the foster care system. With her husband Cedric Lee (of Bing Lee fame) she has fostered more than 100 children over the past 28 years, many of them so-called 'difficult cases'. Deborah and Cedric have also adopted three children of their own and now care for pre-adoptive babies. In MIXED BLESSINGS, Deborah tells her story. While her story has no shortage of tragedies it is also brimming with countless little triumphs, as Deb and her family share their love, joy and good times with children who may have never been kissed or hugged before. Deb tells her story with great humour and guts, as her boundless optimism, sense of humour and enormous humanity see her through. Her husband and three adopted children love the babies they care for as much as she does. If you've ever loved a baby you will love Deb's stories, and laugh and cry with her as she describes the harsh reality that many little children are born into in this 'lucky' country of ours. Some babies arrive on Deb's doorstep with nothing; some are withdrawing from heroine; some bear the marks of abuse. But once Deb gets her hands on them they are smothered in loving care. As Deb says: 'During my years of fostering, so many times have I had to turn my back and walk away. I get through the pain knowing that I'll soon get another phone call about another soul to take care of.' MIXED BLESSINGS is a perfect gift for Mother's Day, a book that will make you laugh, cry and want to rush out and hug a baby. Because every child deserves to be loved the Deb Lee way.
My brother, Scott, came in as I was wrapping a birthday gift for the child. Scott told me about a very disturbing case that he had worked on that day. My brother, a police cadet for a local police department, carried a battered little ...
Her nurse's name was Miss Drake . She was proud to introduce the nurse to her family the next day . “ Meet Miss Crane ” she said . The nurse laughed . " Drake is my name . Both are names of long - legged birds and I resemble both of ...
... The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, New York: Little, Brown and Company (1924, 1960), #82 Lloyd C. Douglas, Disputed Passage, New York: P. F. Collier & Son Corporation (1939) Craig Dykstra, “Pastoral and Ecclesial Imagination.
This book has been written to help anyone who is dying, and their family and carers.
Who Cares?
In nursing homes, child care centres, migrant welfare services, group homes for people with disabilities, and elsewhere around Australia, workers are employed to help other people meet their daily needs.
Understanding and Measuring Personal Social Services Outputs Relating to Disabled Adults and Carers: Contributions to Research Led by the Personal...
Caring for Someone with a Sight Problem
This book aims to help people make decisions about how to care for an elderly person, encouraging readers to assess their own circumstances and priorities.
The Social Workers : Carol Weinstein and Avra Marks . St. Vincent Hospital & Medical Center Health Resource Center 9205 S.W. Barnes Road Portland , OR 97225 ( 503 ) 291-2655 I would also like to thank some very special people .