October 7, 2009 by Kent Smotherman
Posted in
I still have a long way to go before I have a finished product ready, but I wanted to get some of the videos from the conference up sooner rather than later. 
These QuickTime videos are 320x240 and have the good audio that we recorded separately synced with them, but the video content is from our #2 camera only right now. Be warned - these videos are pretty big (about 70 and 100 meg respectively):
Richard Wexler's afternoon talk:
Karl Dennis' afternoon talk:
- Kent Smotherman's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Richard Wexler's Talk video.
Thank You so much for posting these.
I cried my way though Richard Wexler's talk because he hit on the reasons that my three eldest grandchildren sit in New York state foster care. Their Mother was left alone after her fiancee's death with no help...when she requested help the state of New York turned a deaf ear, but they stepped in and took her three babies from her because she was without funds. Rather then help her to keep her home together, or get her children back to me in NE, they took them from her.
The state of New York just couldn't spend any money to help her in her hour of need, but they pay a foster care parent to keep them almost $3,000. a month! I understand that it is expensive to live in N.Y. but they have steadfastly refused to send them back to me (and I was previously their primary caregiver) and I was deemed by the state of NE. to be a good placement for the children in case specific foster care.
Mr. Wexler is so correct in that the outcomes are better and the cost is so much less when we keep children with their natural family if possible.
Stephanie.
I would agree with 98% of
I would agree with 98% of what Mr. Wexler said except there is financial reasoning to many of the removals. When you get cornered and threatened if we do this or don't do that they will do this. And when the case workers (5 on my our case) could wear jewelry worth more then my car or home and even at times more then both combined... They made money.. and lots of it. They would even go as far as threaten to lose paper work because their career was worth more to them then one case (our children).
but I would like to thank you for sharing these videos. I wish I could have been there.
"Let no man tear down what God has built"