video;

[cantgetanyworse]

[Jane begins the video facing the screen, with her fingertips pressed lightly together. In the background, muffled and distant, is the sound of the boy currently in her care, playing with his dog.]

I have a question.

[Each word is carefully enunciated, and a far cry from the uncertainty of her first post to this network. A small frown is just visible between her eyebrows.]

And, please do pardon me if I overlooked something in orientation when I arrived, I am certainly open to being told if I did... but am I correct in understanding that young children - imPorts, specifically - are simply being left, alone, to care for themselves here, save for the lucky chance that someone might take them in?

[Her lips press together. The calm is a facade.]

And this is acceptable?

[She really wants someone to tell her she's mistaken.]

Comments

vid

[knaval]

There's no learning quite like being thrown in at the deep end, eh?

[it is literally impossible to tell if he is serious or not.]

[cantgetanyworse]

Oh, yes, it's happened quite a few times already.

[She is serious, but there's a bittersweet wryness about it.]

It's almost refreshing to be taken aback by something that I actually understand.

text

[h2no]

think we already have the answer to that one
planning something?

doubt it'll be easy though, worthy endeavor though it is

[cantgetanyworse]

I

Perhaps.
I'm not adverse to hard work.

text

[continuousgroaning]

it's awful but it's true

i'm pretty sure we do always get placed with adults but they're under no obligation to do stuff for us

though to be fair I'm not sure i've heard of any kids who ended up alone- they always end up with someone who helps care for them. or they're capable of taking care of themselves

[cantgetanyworse]

One might expect that a government so keenly aware of outsiders being brought in as we are would have something in place to ensure the welfare of said outsiders.

I simply can't believe that it's left to chance.

video;

[golisolation]

I don't see the issue.

[A casual shrug.]

Being on your own makes ya tough, and kids need that.

[cantgetanyworse]

You and I clearly have different views on what children need, Mr Guzma.

[In spite of all of their previous interactions thus far, Jane holds no particular ill will towards Guzma. She just doesn't understand why he keeps talking to her.]

Where I come from, children need caring for, not letting out into the world to fend for themselves.

text;

[hellogoodhigh]

yea guess they figure if u have super powers u can take care of urself

[cantgetanyworse]

And that is an utterly ridiculous assumption.

[hatestrashcans]

Lady, we've been pulled across space and time without consent. I don't think that what's 'acceptable' really matters at this point.

I mean, I was taking care of myself and someone else at 11. Younger than that and they're still cute enough somebody like you will scoop them up, so who cares?

[cantgetanyworse]

I certainly care. [Of course, or she wouldn't be asking.]

If we are going to be pulled here, as you say, without our consent, the very least that can be done is an assurance that children without the life skills required to take care of themselves are properly cared for. I don't believe that to be unreasonable.

video;

[cognitivism]

Acceptable isn't the word I'd use, but unfortunately that's been the norm.

The larger problem is building a program that would accommodate everyone under the age of majority. Many of these kids have been taking care of themselves for years and are given housing accommodations in accordance with the what the local government dictates for imPorts.

[cantgetanyworse]

I'm certainly not advocating the forced housing of everyone under a certain age. I may not agree with the concept but it has certainly not escaped me that other... hm... other worlds have different views on raising children.

But I imagine there are at least some who come here from places where they were being supported by their families?

[voice]

[hordinglife]

So what? Why wouldn't that be acceptable? Kids aren't babies. They know what they need or they'll learn. You can even look it up on the fancy internet they have here.

[cantgetanyworse]

[WHAT KINDS OF PLACES DO YOU PEOPLE COME FROM. GOOD LORD.

This is so upsetting.]

Did you learn everything you know without any help from others?

Video;

[pocketfulof]

Yeah no, that's pretty accurate.

I came in when I was 15? Well...almost 16 I guess. But I've seen some younger than me come in too.

[cantgetanyworse]

Ah...

[She reacts well enough to the good manners here, though her smile is slightly tight from fielding responses from others.]

How did you find it? Settling in?

Permavid

[governorkang]

Even worse, they do this with non-human children as well.

[cantgetanyworse]

[Oh, give her a moment.

Just a moment.

She's never going to get used to the non-human thing, and it takes her a few beats to realise why doing this with 'non-human children' may be worse, after all.]

... And children who have no experience of this kind of social structure, I would imagine?

[honeybadgered]

[Gabby wrinkles her nose. She doesn't exactly like being alone, but she wouldn't want to be stuck with just any old grown-up. Her sister's gone, and Gabby can take care of herself. That should be all that matters.]

Young children are left alone to care for themselves all over. Why should this place be different?

[cantgetanyworse]

[She has her there, but...]

The fact that it happens doesn't mean at all that it should be acceptable. [Sigh. Yes, there are children left alone in England, too. All over the world. But does that mean it should just be allowed to happen?]

And I am certainly not advocating the removal of any independence. I'm concerned for the safety of those who have never had it.

[Like the boy behind her, playing with his dog, who possibly doesn't even know how to use an oven.]

[gigue]

I've met a couple teenagers, but--

[But she grew up shunned in a home that basically trained a few super powered child soldiers so SHE IS NOT THE BEST JUDGE OF THIS]

You mean like, little kids?

[cantgetanyworse]

[Jane nods, and without speaking, tilts the camera view slightly to show the boy in the room behind her, playing with a small black and white dog.]

He's eleven. If it weren't for knowing someone already here, he would have been completely on his own. It's unacceptable.

video;

[mildmanneredwriter]

Yeah, the child welfare system for imPorts could definitely use some work.

[cantgetanyworse]

'Some work' is simply a scandalous understatement.

[Does she look mad about it? She's mad about it.

The fact she looks mad about it is only partly influenced by the fact she's having to deal with Guzma right now.]

action

[perfectlyhuman]

[ He's wrestling a stuffed toy out of Dog's mouth when he comes back into the room, clearly victorious by the time he flops down on the couch. ]

Hey. [ Dog woofs at their feet, demanding a rematch. Adam notices the phone. ]

What are you doing?

[cantgetanyworse]

Oh, Adam...

[It's like an instinct to reach down and pet Dog when he comes into reaching distance. Jane didn't have a pet at home.]

I'm just... hum. Trying to get some information.

video

[ct_7567]

Your biggest problem in solving the issue will be minors who don't care for adult supervision, and who will buck off whatever supervision is offered to them. I got lucky. [ Martin's a good boy. ] But not everyone who finds themselves attempting to take care of a minor is.

But you're right. It's ridiculous on the face of it.

[cantgetanyworse]

[A nod.]

Of course. This... can't be a 'one solution for all' issue. [Sigh. It should be, in theory, but she already understands that many people here that she would consider to be children are entirely equipped to care for themselves... and no one has the right to take that away.]

But something should be done. Will it take an accident or a death before that's realised?

[bifroster]

I noticed that too. I'm not going to claim I know anything about it ...

[It has been a long time since she has been a kid or could not take care of herself, and she is a newcomer here.]

But at least school is mandatory and that's a start. I think the biggest hurdle is finding people who could take care of them, without the chance of them going home again.

[cantgetanyworse]

[Jane makes a small, thoughtful sound.]

Schooling being mandatory is no guarantee of attendance, I'm sure... [Especially as, as much as there are children here who already know very well how to care for themselves, there will also be ones who see no value in schooling.]

But you're quite right, which is why it can't simply be left to other imPorts. I'm frankly disgusted that the government of a place which pulls us here against our will hasn't made any effort to address this.

text

[obediences]

[ Luther's POV on this is weird and askew, too — they were killing adults in their teens — but even this gives him pause, too. Even the Academy had had three adult minders. ]

Huh.

That seems like a gap.

[ Understatement!! ]

[cantgetanyworse]

[Oh, hello friend.]

It DOES seem like a gap, doesn't it.

[There may be a heavy dose of sarcasm over that text.]

At least there seem to have been attempts to do something about it before, so perhaps I'll be able to get a foothold.

[lesterzeppelin]

I don't know if I'd say 'acceptable,' but yeah. [ Lester frowns, seriously thinking this over for the first time. Which is kind of funny considering he looks about seventeen or eighteen himself - ] Nine times out of ten, though, another imPort usually picks up the slack. So there's that.

[cantgetanyworse]

[Jane herself is only twenty. Eighteen isn't terribly young to her, but the boy currently in the same room with her is only eleven and that, certainly, is far more concerning.]

That is something, at least. [She sighs.] At least we are looking out for our own. In a manner of speaking. I can't help but feel that there's just far too much room for some of these children to slip through the cracks.

voice; un: Julian Delphiki | Bean (I am the latest but I need to tag this post)

[justlittle]

[ The voice that answers is young. Maybe ten years old. But there's a harshness to it that belies its youth. ]

Some of us don't need to be "taken in."

[cantgetanyworse]

[While the sentiment is no doubt earnestly meant... he isn't the first to say so.]

Yes... I've already had that made abundantly clear, thank you.

[He sounds so young, but appearance (or, in this case, sound...) aren't everything.]

But some do, and it sounds as if more information overall when we arrive wouldn't go amiss.