04.27.06 May is National Foster Care Month!

In the United States there are approximately 518,000 children and youth in foster care because their own families are in crisis and are unable to provide for their essential needs.  Around 120,000 of these children are available for adoption.  Visit Adopt U.S. Kids to learn more about how you can provide one of these children with a permanent, loving home. 

Foster care promotes the healing process by offering a stable and secure environment for the child until he or she is able to either be reunified with their parents or primary caregivers or a suitable permanent home is found for the child.  53% of young people leaving the system in 2004 were able to be reunified.  The average length of stay in foster care was 30 months for those in foster care in Sept 2004, and 29% of children leaving care in 2004 had been away from home for a year or longer.

Every child deserves to be raised by a loving family, but every year nearly 20,000 youth will age out of foster care.  Many of these youth are only 18 years old and still need the support and services, and they are disproportionaly vulnerable to adverse situations such as: homelessness, unemployment, compromised mental health, poor educational status, poverty, substance abuse, and incarceration.  However, with guidance and support from a caring adult, children and youth in foster care are resilient and capable of realizing their fullest potential. 

Foster parents, relative caregivers, mentors, advocates, social workers, and other supporters are making a difference in the lives of children in your community, and you can join them.  Nearly every community across the country is urgently seeking more foster parents to meet the needs, and foster homes allow sibling groups to remain together and children to remain in their schools and neighborhoods.  There are also a variety of other ways you can get involved.  Visit http://www.fostercaremonth.org/ to find out more.

(Material taken from Foster Care Month Publications: www.fostercaremonth.org)