Mom and Her Daughters: A Family Reunified

Rebecca Parks and her fiancé, Scott, have their hands full with three beautiful children: Cardelia, age 5; Annalyn, age 2; and baby Brady. They have a special appreciation for family time because Rebecca and her daughters spent many months apart.

 

“I was making all the wrong decisions as a young single mom, and I lost custody of Cardelia,” Rebecca explains. “I struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and I didn’t have a job, a car, or a safe place to live. I knew I wanted Cardelia back, so I got help to work on my recovery and improve my life situation. I was still in the middle of that process when Annalyn was born and was also separated from her for a time.”

“When parents are faced with overwhelming circumstances, a consequence can be the removal of their children from their care,” explains Kayla Perrott, Family Support Services caseworker for The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. “In Rebecca’s case, reunification was always her goal, and she consistently amazed me with her conviction and dedication.”

Kayla worked alongside Rebecca for about 20 months, facilitating family visits with Cardelia, who was living in foster care, and later also with Annalyn, who was in her father’s custody. Rebecca received both inpatient and outpatient care to support her recovery from addiction, actively participated in parenting classes, and found gainful employment and safe housing. Kayla accompanied Rebecca during court hearings to validate her progress and accomplishments. Rebecca also met Scott, her “knight in shining armor,” who loved her girls as if they were his own. The family was reunited in January 2020, and Brady was born in June.

 

“Thank goodness for Scott, my mom and brother, and for other family who loved and supported me,” remarks Rebecca. “I’m also grateful to Kayla and Washington County Family Court Judge Brandon Neuman. They gave me the right resources to do the hard work I needed to do to get my girls back.”

“During those months apart from my daughters, it felt like I was living with my heart outside my body,” Rebecca continues. “I wasn’t whole, and life was so hard. But Kayla was a good and trusted friend during the entire reunification process. She was always there, even on the hardest days. It means everything to me that I’m healthy and my family is safe, happy, and together.”

“Rebecca’s family and her new life are everything to her,” says Kayla. “By being honest with herself and others, taking responsibility for her actions, working tirelessly to make the best choices, and accepting help that was offered, Rebecca has laid a strong foundation on which to build her children’s futures.”

Licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, our Family Support Services help children live and grow within safe, nurturing, lasting families. Permanency is at the foundation of all we do. You can be a lifeline to amazing families like the Parks. Please consider making a gift to support our Amazing Kids Fund at amazingkids.org/giving.