ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : They Need a Home of Their Own

Anyone who opened last week’s Times and saw the faces of the 18 infants now being cared for in the nursery at the county’s Orangewood Children’s Home had to feel a twinge of sadness.

Alex’s smile, Danielle’s coyness and Somone’s bright-eyed wonder could melt the hardest of hearts. But Danielle was abandoned. Alex was abused. And Somone was born drug-addicted. The other 15 babies have similarly troubled backgrounds. But there’s another thing they all have in common. They are in a county institution.

Orangewood, as good as it is, is still an institution. It cannot provide the special care, bonding and family setting that these youngsters need until they can be returned to their natural parents or placed for permanent adoption. The problem of finding homes for such children has received increased attention lately because of several incidents involving abandoned babies.

In addition to abandonment, more young children are abused and born addicted to drugs. At Orangewood, the number of drug-addicted babies doubled this year. The number of battered and abused children reported to the county Child Abuse Registry has risen from less than 1,500 cases in January to more than 2,500 in October.

There is no single segment of the community to blame. The cases cross economic, ethnic and city lines. Compounding the overcrowded conditions at Orangewood is the shortage of foster care homes. At present there are only about 600 foster homes in Orange County. At least 800 are needed now.

It takes special people to become foster parents to these special children. The county is looking for 200 more of those extra-special people--those who love children and are willing to open their hearts and homes to them. If you qualify, the number to call is (800) 426-2233.