Human Resources committee  From my personal experience and the stories I've heard from others, I would agree with you 150%. It is so obvious that, when there is an issue, the kid in care is always the first one to get blamed or it's an excuse. It shouldn't be either of those things. It's very important to have someone in your corner.

Human Resources committee  This was from earlier, but I wanted to add because you made a comment about it. It's about children with learning disabilities in the foster care system. I was incorrectly diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 10, and I was medicated. I was not tested for a learning disability until I was in the 10th grade.

Human Resources committee  If you had your magic wand with you today, I would say that we need at least to have equal parental rights when it comes to leave. I know that it depends on the child and it depends on the situation. Some children develop and attach much faster than others do. In my case, it took me four years to fully attach to my family and to be able to tell them everything and be honest and realize, okay, they're not going anywhere.

Human Resources committee  That too.

Human Resources committee  I guess if I'm allowed to make an addition—

Human Resources committee  —it would be reforms to the system itself.

Human Resources committee  I was 11.

Human Resources committee  I think the best way to explain attachment to someone else, especially someone who is going into a very similar situation, is to say that it's normal to have difficulty at first. In creating a relationship with someone new—in my situation, it was my parents and siblings—it's very difficult to wrap your head around something that big and to understand, “Holy crap, I have a family now”.

Human Resources committee  I think that real family are the people you choose, that you care about and who also choose you, love you and support you. They're people who you would do the same for.

Human Resources committee  I think the most important thing to take away is that adoptive children are just like biological children. We still need that time. I think it's important that adoptive parents have at least the same amount of time as biological parents to take care of their child and attach.

Human Resources committee  Absolutely, it did. When I was in the foster care system, it was very much, “Oh, that's the kid in foster care. That's the child who doesn't have a family.” One of the first things my parents helped with was making sure that I knew I had a family now. I was safe. It's very important to have that sense of belonging.

Human Resources committee  It's very important. Without that attachment, it makes it difficult to really make any relationship at all. Being able to attach to a parental figure or a permanent caregiver is important, because they can then build that trust and build that relationship, and be able to actually allow themselves to have that support system.

Human Resources committee  I found, in my personal experience, that after I was finally able to create a healthy attachment with my family, it became easier to make friends and be able to be honest and vulnerable with those people. It takes a lot of time, but even in romantic relationships, you have to learn from your supports growing up.

Human Resources committee  Hello. My name is Cassaundra Eisner, and I am 23 years old. I was placed in the foster care system in New Brunswick at the age of nine and found my forever family at the age of 11. I am a lived expert from the child welfare system. Over the years, I have been a strong advocate for youth in care and for adoptive families through volunteer work with the New Brunswick Adoption Foundation, the New Brunswick Youth In Care Network and with PRIDE panels.