Story of Hope: Cynthia Catlin-Gaskins
January Advocate Impact Story
Written By: Cynthia's Advocate Supervisor
Cynthia Catlin-Gaskins was assigned to a case involving 5 siblings who were removed from their home due to neglect and drug usage. The parents would consistently attend visits, but did not engage in any other services. The youngest child was placed with the paternal grandmother, and the other four children were placed with maternal great grandmother.
From the very beginning Cynthia voiced her concerns regarding the maternal great grandmother placement. She observed that the needs of the children were not being met and that the placement seemed to be constantly at risk of breaking down. CPS ignored the concerns and insisted the placement would provide permanency. Unfortunately, Cynthia's fears were realized when, after parental rights were officially terminated, the maternal great grandmother placement broke down, leaving four children looking for permanency.
The children were split up into multiple foster placements with no permanency in sight. Various family members expressed interest in becoming a placement for the siblings, but CPS was resistant to investigate any of these options due to past history. Cynthia, however, advocated that they at least be considered since there was currently no other permanency options.
For various reasons, none of these placements came to be, but at least two of the children (the two girls) ended up in a foster to adopt home in February 2019. Cynthia started cultivating these adoptive parents so they would also consider taking the two boys. They finally agreed and the boys were placed with their sisters.
As they are getting placed, we received news that the foster mom, who had been laid off of work, just found a new job in North Carolina, so they were going to go through the process of buying a new house in North Carolina and selling their home in San Antonio. They told CPS that they were on a timeline, but they wanted to officially adopt all four children before they left. CPS bureaucracy made it nearly impossible for this family to fulfill the requirements asked for them in order to move with their new family.
Since the girls had been with them longer, they were able to finalize their adoption sooner. The boys' adoption was still pending since they had been only recently been placed with the family, even though they had done multiple sibling visits prior in their home, including overnight stays. Cynthia pushed hard for the two boys not to be left behind in San Antonio, which was what CPS suggested had to happen. CASA even contacted the court manager because the plans for the case would change after every hearing.
Finally, the court summoned CPS program directors, adoption specialists, and every decision maker so they had to explain why the system was getting in the way of permanency. The judge asked them to staff in a conference room, because if they didn’t figure it out, he would. The goal was not to leave those boys behind when the family moved to North Carolina. CPS finally came up with a plan that would ensure all requirements would be met before the family had to travel to North Carolina. The four children are now together in what very soon will become their forever home.
Thanks to Cynthia's persistence, not only was she able to ensure the siblings were adopted together, but she also ensured that the boys didn't experience more trauma in the process.
Help us provide more Advocates like Cynthia who are willing to go above and beyond to provide a voice for children in foster care.
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During their TMC case, Nanette was assigned to two young ladies who shared a deep and loving bond with their toddler brother, who had been removed under a separate case. Recognizing that these young ladies had taken on caretaker roles for their brother, Nan wanted their visits to be safe, joyful, and centered around sibling connection rather than responsibility. Understanding the importance of preserving this relationship, Nan amplified the girls’ voices and advocated for consistent, meaningful visits while separate permanency options were being explored. She collaborated closely with the younger brother’s adoptive placement, the girls’ group home, and later their foster placement to create opportunities for the siblings to spend quality time together. When Nan was later assigned to the younger brother’s case during PMC, she was finally able to personally ensure that all three children shared visits outside of the CPS office—providing natural, family-centered experiences that strengthened their bond. Despite the children being on different permanency tracks, living in three separate placements, and facing numerous setbacks, Nan’s commitment to maintaining their connection never wavered. Eventually, the youngest child was adopted. Thanks to the strong, trusting relationship Nan had built with his adoptive family, she was able to continue arranging sibling visits even after his adoption was finalized. Nan coordinated fun, family-oriented outings where the children could enjoy time together and simply be siblings. Soon after, the middle child was also adopted. Nan ensured that all siblings were present to celebrate these important milestones in each other’s lives. She continues to organize opportunities for the siblings to connect and advocates for the oldest youth, who plans to transition out of foster care when they are older. Nan’s focus has always been on the well-being of the children. Despite challenges and complex case dynamics, she remained steadfast in ensuring that the children’s needs and wishes guided every decision. Her dedication to preserving the sibling bond demonstrates her deep understanding of how essential family connection is to achieve true permanency and emotional stability.
Natalie Rodriguez
