family matters

First, Friday was fantastic. The review went really great and while we won't have the official letter for 4-6 weeks, we did pass it and we are a certified stroke center. Kick ass. The surveyor told us that we had a great program and it was fantastic for me to know that I am a part of something good.
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The saga regarding my brother in law who passed has gotten worse. My neice and nephew are in foster care. My sister in law is in trouble again, and the kids were going to school unkempt and dirty. DSS stepped in and the kids were taken into thier custody. The boy (age 9) is currently with an aunt, and the girl (age 6) has been processed and is with a foster family. I don't know what can be done. I am going to make a call and find out what might be necessary to have her stay with us. I cannot stand to think of that sweet girl in foster care. The boy has some mental issues that I know even his aunt is unable to deal with. I am told that his counselor is going to be taking temporary custody of him. It's a fucking nightmare, I tell you, and at the very least we are going to get some visitations so she can come and visit us and her cousins and the people who love her. I am SO angry at my SIL, but I also understand that drugs DO this to people. It's tragic and sad and infuriating. It's also such a nasty disease, because not a single person in thier right mind would do the things that she has done to cause this to happen to her children.

I am not sure what we could get temporary custody of her because I don't have the room for her. I have a two bedroom apartment and all boys in it. I don't know what the criteria is but I am going to find out. I have to at least try. I would do it for any of my neices or nephews and while I know it sounds insane to even consider for a second taking on another child, I have to at least find out what I can do for her, even if it's just picking her up a few times a week and taking her to the park with the boys. She's just a little girl, a beautiful sweet six year old girl who does not deserve to have the spirit taken away from her like this. Her father just died, he brother attacked her the night it happened, and now her mother is 'out there' and she has been taken away from her too. Perhaps if she is placed with a good and loving family... she will have a better life that she might have otherwise. I have heard of people who have had good foster care experiences. I'm sure that there are lots of good stories. Lots of good people who want to take care of children. I pray that Maddie is with one of those families.

If you have any information on DSS and any of this- please share it with me.