The 1987 court case not only made national headlines it turned the tide ofElaine andBernieSchickman’s lives. A respected attorney adopted two children and subjected them to unspeakable abuse. One of the children died. After following the case avidly Elaine became consumed by this tragedy. At night she’d lie awake and question: How could such a tragedy occur? Where was the state or Children’s Services while those children’s lives were destroyed?Elaine discovered that for children to be removed from a bad situation an alternative home has to be found. And she learned that there’s a shortage of good foster homes. She turned to her husband Bernie with tears in her eyes. “I’d like us to sign up to be foster parents ” she told him. “We have to reach out and help these innocent children.” He nodded his agreement. At the time the Schickmans’ biological children Lisa andGary were 16 and 18.Elaine andBernie consulted with them and after a long discussion Lisa andGary jumped aboard.Bernie andElaine contacted Ohel and applied to become foster parents. There were home visits background checks reference checks and multiple investigations and interviews. Finally the Schickmans were approved as foster parents.