Pasan Nanayakkara
Adoption worker Stacey Barton said, “Mr. Carter was the only foster parent willing and able to adopt all of the children. His childhood background has made him aware of the importance of keeping siblings together.”
When it comes to foster care, many people think of children being taken away from their families and placed in temporary homes until they can be reunited with their biological parents or adopted by another family. However, in some cases, children are taken away from their families and placed in foster care permanently. In these situations, it is important to try and keep siblings together, as they have already been through so much trauma and loss.
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This is where Robert Carter comes in. Robert is a single foster dad who has recently adopted five siblings, Marionna, Makayla, Robert, Giovanni, and Kiontae, so that they can stay together as they grow up. Robert understands the importance of siblings staying together, as he went into foster care in Hamilton County, Ohio, when he was just 12 years old and didn’t see some of his younger siblings for years.
According to reports, Robert was eventually granted custody of his younger sister and a guardianship of his young brother. As for adopting the five siblings, he said, “I understand how they feel. I understand what they went through, so it really touched me. I was already thinking about adopting all of the kids but when I saw them crying, I was like, ‘Ok, I’m going to take all five to keep them together.”
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The adoption came together after Robert, who was fostering the three boys, came together with the foster mom of the two girls so that the kids could see each other for the first time in half a year. Adoption worker Stacey Barton commented, “When permanent custody was awarded to JFS, the five siblings were already placed in three different foster homes. Mr. Carter was the only foster parent willing and able to adopt all of the children. His childhood background has made him aware of the importance of keeping siblings together. He says that he enjoys being their father and that parenting them is easier than he could have ever imagined!”
Robert himself added that he believes taking care of his own siblings and being involved in mentoring and volunteering programs led him down this path. “Making memories to replace a lot of the bad ones,” he explained. “Every night I talk to them and let them know, ‘I’m your dad forever. I know what it’s like and I’m always here for you.’ Like Marionna. She’s warmed up so much since the beginning. At first, she didn’t like me.”
It is clear that Robert is an incredible human being, who truly understands the importance of siblings staying together and is willing to go above and beyond to make sure that these five children are loved and cared for. He is a shining example of what it means to be a foster parent, and he has restored our faith in humanity and what we’re capable of when we show the utmost compassion.
