by Danielle Joseph

About the author: Danielle Joseph is a former foster child and a contributor to City Limits, a New York City urban affairs news magazine.

Imagine yourself a child, at home watching television one afternoon with your brothers and sisters. Suddenly the doorbell rings. Your mother goes to open the door and it’s the police. You sense some kind of confusion and as you approach the front of the house, a policeman grabs you, gathers up your other siblings and says, “Get ready, let’s go. You are coming with us. You will see your mother soon. You will be gone for only a few days.” You are terrified. You try to say “No” and put up some kind of resistance.

And no matter how much your mother...