Strong winds were howling outside and sleet was hitting the windows as I crawled into bed one night recently. It had been a long, tiring day at work. I pulled layers of blankets up around me. There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed! I have heard many people over the years tell me they "couldn't wait to get home to their own beds." Sound familiar? p>

The little ones at SCAN who have been neglected or abused and placed in foster care often wish they were snuggled in their own beds at night, with their own pillows and blankets. They miss home, even if that home was not a safe one. They miss their house, the familiarity of it, even if they are now living with kind, caring foster parents.

One such child, who I’ll call J, comes to SCAN each week for supervised visits with mom and dad. This little one is struggling with sleeping in an unfamiliar bed in a different home. The changes have caused this little child to start wetting the bed at night. So J is now embarrassed and even more upset that she is not in familiar surroundings.

The issue has led to more than just wet PJs and sheets. The nighttime wetting causes the bug bites on the little one’s legs to become inflamed, raw and sore. J’s parents’ home was infested with thousands of bugs.

We have made certain J is getting medical care, and the sores are improving. The foster parents are doing everything they can to help J feel safe and loved.

J’s parents are making good progress in improving their home environment and their parenting through the spectrum of Family Restoration services provided, including the curriculum used in the Joan Sherman Program for Resilient Children during visits, the Intensive Intervention Team and home-based counseling.

If the parents continue to progress as they are, this little girl will hopefully be back in her home soon, sleeping in her familiar bed with her own pillow and blankets.

In 2012, we helped 576 families such as this one in our Family Restoration program; 7 out of 10 improved their homes and their parenting skills and knowledge so their children could be returned home safely.

Tonight, when you crawl into your own bed, be assured that your support of SCAN is helping children in our community stay in their own homes or return home so they can sleep soundly and securely in their own beds, in a safe home where they feel loved.

Sleep well!