Foster Care
In the October 2009 issue of ParentLife, we originally included an article on foster children. However, due to a need to create advertising space, we had to pull the article at the last minute. We wanted to include this article for you provided by Michael Piraino, CEO of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA).
Each day in the United States more than 850 children enter the foster care system, often due to parental abuse or neglect. Originally designed as a temporary housing solution for youth whose parents were unable to provide for their essential well-being, foster care now has become home to more than a half million children each year.
Case studies show foster children can find themselves in as many as 30 homes throughout their stay in care. With each move comes the uncertainty of a new family, new school, and new friends. Ultimately, this instability impedes a child’s ability to form personal attachments, diminishes her self-esteem, and seriously disrupts her education. On average, foster children can change schools eight times before they reach the age of 18. As a result, only 46 percent will graduate from high school.
Raising Awareness
Now is the time to raise awareness of ways to support this country’s most vulnerable children. While the need for foster parents is great, there are only enough licensed foster homes to care for 30 percent of the foster care population. You can help make a difference whether you can commit a lifetime, years, months, weeks, days, or hours.
- Adopt or become a foster parent. Check with your local department of children and family services or the National Foster Parent Association for requirements, as they vary from state to state.
- Become a CASA volunteer. CASA volunteers are trained to advocate for foster children in court in order to help find permanent homes for abused and neglected children. After undergoing a 30-hour training program, a volunteer is assigned his first court case. To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer, visit www.nationalcasa.org.
If you would like to see the entire article originally to appear in ParentLife, please download this pdf.
Foster Care.pdf
