Champions for Foster Care
“We knew we would be welcoming the unknown into our lives. We strongly believe our community has a responsibility to kids who enter foster care.”
“Welcoming the unknown” is not a response many people say when asked about their life goals, especially when it relates to tiny strangers coming into their homes. But these are no ordinary people. They are true champions, foster parents Jessica & Elinor. They believe children in foster care need more from their community and welcome the journey full of unknowns and are rewarded with love.
The path to becoming a foster parent with Boys & Girls Aid begins with well-developed and intense training in preparation to best meet the needs of a foster child. Once a child is placed in their home, the true journey begins, and foster parents really shine.
A total of 10,887 children who could not remain safely in their homes spent at least one day in Oregon foster care in 2019. These children entered the foster care system through no fault of their own: 72% were removed due to neglect and abuse, 50% parent drug abuse, 19% inadequate housing, and 17% physical abuse. Children enter foster care for multiple reasons, 15% experience four or more.1
“Children deserve our best efforts to find them permanency before they age out of foster care.”
Children growing up in chaotic and uncertain environments face difficulties that stunt their growth and development, ultimately limiting their futures. Years of abuse and neglect can significantly affect their mental, physical, social, and emotional health. This level of constant disruption causes tremendous trauma and without the necessary support, these children will face higher rates of incarceration, unplanned pregnancies, and unemployment as they reach their adult years. These children deserve our best efforts to find them permanency before they age out of the foster care system.
According to a publication updated in 2020 by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative2:
-Each year, nearly 20,000 young people exit foster care without permanent families, critical skills, support, and resources to thrive — more than a quarter of them have experienced homelessness within the past two years.
-Only 60% of 19-year-olds who have experienced foster care will earn their high school diploma or GED.
-By the age of 21, only 57% of young people with foster care experience will be employed.
-60% of females who have experienced foster care will become pregnant before age 21.
These statistics inspire people to help shift the narrative for youth exiting foster care by supporting agencies like Boys & Girls Aid and, for some, to become foster parents.
A foster parent assumes responsibility for a high threshold of care for their foster child. These responsibilities have increased as a result of the epidemic caused by COVID-19. Families in foster care are being impacted by the associated closures, work changes, and social distancing measures. Boys & Girls Aid recognizes these challenges and develops individualized support plans to meet the current needs of each foster family.
With safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, mandatory reporters, such as teachers, bus drivers, day care providers, and medical professionals are not able to interact in-person with children who may be experiencing abuse and neglect. According to national annual statistics analyzed by the U.S. Administration for Children & Families,3 78% of child victims are abused by a parent living in the home. With this, it can be assumed that child abuse is happening and not being recognized or reported. Leaders in the child welfare system, including Boys & Girls Aid, are now looking toward the end of the pandemic and the immediate need for foster parents that will emerge based on past trends.
In a Marketplace story from June of 2020,4 Sherry Lachman at Foster America explained, “Once the pandemic is over, a flood of children could enter foster care. And then the number could keep rising. Government data shows that after the Great Recession, the number of kids entering foster care rose for five years.5 And the system was overburdened.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is similar to the 2008 Recession in that both are major events that have altered “normal life” in the United States. Child welfare leaders recognize the signs and believe we must prepare more foster families to help with a rise in need once the pandemic begins to lessen.
Reflecting on their time as foster parents, Jessica & Elinor shared, “We don’t think we are special for fostering. We saw a need, took classes, leaned into our community, and started couples’ therapy so we could say yes. We make mistakes and are always learning. We love how this journey pushes us and encourages us to slow down and focus on the need in front of us — providing one child the safe harbor they need amid the chaos and uncertainty of foster care.”
At Boys & Girls Aid we believe foster parents are special people. They open their hearts and homes to support children living with trauma. This trauma impacts every faucet of their lives and our foster parents are there, day in and day out to make a difference. They help, support and love children who need just that, a person to put them first. This makes our foster parents true champions!
1. Oregon Department of Human Services. (2020, June). 2019 Child Welfare Data Book. https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/children/child-abuse
2. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2020). Jim Casey Initiative Brochure. https://www.aecf.org/work/child-welfare/jim-casey-youth-opportunities-initiative
3. The Administration on Children, Youth and Families. (2020, January). Child Maltreatment 2018. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/child-maltreatment-2018
4. Marketplace. (2020, June). How the Pandemic is Testing the Foster Care System. https://www.marketplace.org/2020/06/25/covid-19-foster-care-system
5. The Administration on Children, Youth and Families. (2020, August). The AFCARS Report. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/afcars