Sweet success: Single father to speak on being reunified with his children

As a single father to twin five year olds, Jean Roy has his hands full these days.

Roy’s responsible for keeping the twins entertained, transporting them to and from school, making sure they get enough to eat and a good night’s sleep. Homework, doctor’s appointments, and play time all fall on him.

The stable daily routine wasn’t always the situation for his family, though.

The two children were removed from him and their mother in February 2015 due to prior involvement with DCF.  The children’s mother was not allowed to be around the children unsupervised and Roy needed help parenting the twin 3-year-olds at the time. There were ongoing concerns about the health of the children and their exposure to illicit substances in the home.  Roy had a criminal history and also suffered from substance addiction, but losing his children was a wake-up call.

After enrolling in outpatient treatment services and connecting with a sponsor, he changed.

Roy completed a parenting program, and engaged with Eckerd Kids’ family reunification team for additional support prior to and during his reunification process.

On July 8, 2016, Jean Roy was reunified with his two children and their case was officially closed out in January 2017.

 

Roy will be available to share his story with the media on Friday, June 9.

WHAT: Fifth Annual Reunification Day Celebration

WHEN: Friday, June 9, 2017, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: The Family Place, 9391 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33612

WHO: Families who have been reunited; Family Court Judges; Foster Parents; Case Workers; Service Providers and other community partners.