New York, NY —
One of the city's oldest and largest foster care agencies is suing the Administration for Children's Services to try to stop it from ending its contract. The lawsuit claims the recent bidding process for foster care services was unfair and arbitrary.
Little Flower Children and Family services oversees 1,400 cases. Foster parent Mattie Simms says transferring kids to another agency will disrupt their lives and lengthen their foster care stay:
"They will have to find new doctors, they will have to find new therapists, they will have to find new social workers," Simms says. "In order for them to gain trust in them it's going to take a while."
Little Flower maintains losing its contract had nothing to do with its performance. But in 2005, it was among the lowest-rated agencies in the city. A spokeswoman says the rating improved and, by 2009, it was on par with other agencies.
The city's law department called the bidding process fair and objective. It's still reviewing the lawsuit.