Is a shelter one of live's basic needs?

ETHAN'S MOMMA · #1 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 04:43 AM

I saw this show on MSNBC the other nite. It was about a young mom who had a drug habit. Now she took pretty good care of her baby. It had food and diapers. And it had lots of pretty clothes and blankets. The baby had a bath everyday according to the film crew. But the lady choose to live on the street. So its that grounds alone to take away a baby? I think the state of Flordia ended up taken the baby.

ChickenLittle · #2 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 06:21 AM

For an adult I would say whatever they want to live in, is fine but I think a child should have some kind of shelter. Without a good shelter, lots of things can happen to a baby at night that puts it at risk. Walking away, being taken awhile the mother slept, animals messing with the child, bad weather. I would say a child should be taken in that situation. Just too much risk for bad but I would hope they would help the mom and baby to stay together and get them a shelter to live in.

cin1294 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 07:24 AM

I think that it's great that she was taking care of her child but that child should not have to live on the street because the mother choose that lifestyle. I would say in a situation like that Yes the child should be taken away for reasons that ChickenLittle stated above. Anything could happen out on the street to that child while the mother is sleeping.

Jescafa · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 08:14 AM

Yes, I think shelter is a basic need, for adults as well as children.

BobbiJo139 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 08:24 AM

I was just wondering if everyone would think the child should be taken away if the mother stayed in a homeless shelter.

geela · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 10:17 AM

I worked in a homeless shelter for 5 years. Parents who provided shelter for their children either by living in a 24 hour shelter or staying in an overnight shelter then staying in a dayshelter during the day would not have their children taken, provided the children were not neglected or abused in any other way.

However, if the parents kept the child outside either all the time or even just during the day all the time , even in inclement weather would have their children taken from them.

Other situations could also involve houses without electricity or heat or houses without running water. Sadly, the state does not work to help the parents find adequete shelter for the family, they simply take the children and then the parents must find adequete shelter and prove they have this shelter before getting their children back.

cin1294 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 10:36 AM

Yes, I think shelter is a basic need, for adults as well as children.

I forgot to answer the question.

deeniereenie · #8 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 11:19 AM

I do think the child should have been removed, not only because of lack of shelter, but because the mother had a "drug problem". You don't mention what drugs she was on, but if it was something like heroin or cocaine, or meth, for example, the baby should absolutely have a chance to live a normal life.
You say she chose to live on the street. Will you elaborate? Did she say why she wouldn't go to a shelter, etc?

midwifemommyofmany · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 11:40 AM

Sadly, the state does not work to help the parents find adequete shelter for the family, they simply take the children and then the parents must find adequete shelter and prove they have this shelter before getting their children back.

UGH. I bet more money is spent on resources to find homes for the children than would be spent if the true problem was solved....helping the parents find and acquire adequate housing and employment.

And I think the mother's drug problem is the real issue here. I bet if she didn't have a drug problem she wouldn't be spending all her time on the streets...her focus would be elsewhere.

K&K · #10 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 12:30 PM

Need vs. want is a huge concept I teach. Technically, we teach the only *needs* a living organism has are light, water/food, and air (per our curriculum/texts).

Many people live without shelter and live fine. It's just not what we consider the *norm* in this country.

I guess I don't think we HAVE to have shelter as one of our basic needs.

geela · #11 (**permalink**) 03-07-2006, 08:24 PM

Hmmm when I was in school we were taught basic needs are food, water and shelter. Please show me where people live with absolutly no shelter, ever, and do fine. Here in the midwest people freeze to death in winter for lack of shelter. In the summer they die of heat exhaustion for the same reason. Then, of course, being outside in a storm is not exactly safe.

Now, shelter does not have to be a 3 bedroom ranch with central A/C and a 2 car garage. But it does need to be adequete to keep out the weather reasonably, keep the temperture warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer. Even our prehistoric ancesters recognised the need for shelter. They either lived in caves or made shelters out of animal skins, branches etc.

Anya, I think you are right about the resources. Not to mention the court time it takes for the parents to get their kids returned. We had a family here, not this winter but a year ago who had 8 kids. The uncle was letting them stay in a house that he owned but the house did not have a furnace. THey were heating with space heaters and staying in the livingroom/ kitchen area. The house was clean, the kids were clean, there was no abuse, everyone was fed and attending school. Yet, instead of helping the family by putting a furnace in the house, or finding another house for them, DCFS took the kids. Of course one home generally can't take 8 kids so they get broken up. The system sucks IMO.

ETHAN'S MOMMA · #12 (**permalink**) 03-08-2006, 04:07 AM

Deenie I saw it on Msnbc and it was an old 48hrs type shows. It was following the life of a drug addicted young mother. It was filmed in Miami and it looked pretty warm. The teen said she didn't trust shelters and she choose to "squat" in a parking lot at nite. Now she's accept all the other government help but wouldn't go to a shelter. I think the girl was worried about getting busted for drugs. The girl didn't make much sense because she was high most of the time.

Emaline · #13 (**permalink**) 03-08-2006, 07:12 AM

I do believe that both adults and children do "need" shelter and I'm coming from this from a city that gets very cold and usually a ton of snow. Sure during the summer time, you could probably make do, but what about winter? Watching shows like Survivorman and other survival shows, during bad weather or if you are in a hostile place environmentally, finding shelter is key to your surviving.

I'm glad to hear she was doing what she could to take care of the baby but I do think the state was right in this case, though I wish I knew more about it, I feel like I'm missing something. I would be afraid that she would overdose on drugs and then what would happen to the baby?

Monicasgirls · #14 (**permalink**) 03-08-2006, 03:21 PM

I don't think it's normal practice to take children that are well cared for just for not having a home. However, if this mom has a drug habit, then yes I think they should take the child. They will take a baby if the mom tests + for drugs at the birth, so why not then?

geela · #15 (**permalink**) 03-08-2006, 03:59 PM

Well, I can't speak for Georgia but in Illinois if you don't have a place for your child to be inside at night and inside during inclement weather during the day they will take your child. I have personally seen it happen to several families here.