“Sendwòm Gran Sè”: The older sister syndrome

• Published date: 01 April 2023
• Author: Ericka Francois
• Date: 01 April 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12705

SPECIAL ISSUE ARTICLE

“Sendwòm Gran Sè”: The older sister syndrome

Ericka Francois

Hunter College Silberman School of Social

Work, New York City, NY, USA

Correspondence

Ericka Francois, Hunter College Silberman

School of Social Work, New York City,

NY, USA.

Email: francois.ericka@gmail.com

Abstract

Ericka Francois, an advocate for young people living in and

aging out of foster care, thoughtfully shares the events that led

to her and her siblings being placed in the child welfare system.

Her frank account of physical abuse over the course of her

early years of life illustrates the struggles many families face.

Her and her siblings' entry into the child welfare system, an

intervention intended to improve well-being for her and

siblings, produced varied outcomes. Ericka describes her

blossoming in her grandmother's care and the pain of watching

her siblings languish and even decline while in the state's care.

Ericka makes a powerful appeal for immediate system changes.

KEYWORDS

child abuse, child development, child trauma, children, families,

family dynamics, foster care, high conflict, neglect, new York City,

parenting, stress

Key points for the family court community

•Toxic parents can negatively affect children throughout

their lifespan, and the children must heal themselves.

•A contrast on how unfit mothers can be compared to the

worldwide “nurturing”and “caring”mother narrative.

•You can be traumatized from both generational trauma

and the New York City foster care system.

•Without the right support, traumatized children cannot

thrive as young adults.

•Parents do not deserve grace simply because they arepar-

ents. They deserve to educate themselves on how to be

the best parentsthey can be this is a choice they made.

DOI: 10.1111/fcre.12705

© 2023 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

242 Family Court Rev. 2023;61:242–245.

wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fcre