Perhaps Foster has no desire to relive fraught mother-daughter dynamics.

FORBES: Mother's Day: What To Do If You Can't Stand Mom

Fred Tate (Adam Hann-Byrd) is a seven-year-old intellectual prodigy who lives with his single, working-class mother, Dede (Jodie Foster).

NEWYORKER: Little Man Tate

Reuniting with children who've been in foster care can be contingent upon the mother finding income and a stable home, but some ex-offenders aren't eligible for public housing in New York.

CNN: Nun helps moms in prison move past their mistakes

Astrid, the 15-year-old daughter of a steely, strong-willed artist played by Michelle Pfeiffer, finds herself consigned to the random indignities of foster care after her mother is sent to prison for killing a boyfriend.

WSJ: High Anxiety: 'Punch-Drunk Love'