A Crisis in Foster Care

By Cassie Johnson

There has always been the need for more foster parents in the Purchase Area, but in recent years that need has grown exponentially. Many group homes in our area have closed, leaving dozens of children displaced. The harsh reality is that there are 829 children currently in our local foster care system. Tragically, many of them are teenagers and only 18 of the 205 foster homes are accepting new teens.

The closing of multiple group homes takes a toll on the agencies in our area, making it challenging to place children in foster care.

Kids at Risk

“I have been in this field with Necco for 21 years,” Rhonda Riley, MA and Program Director at NECCO, told me. “There has always been a need for more foster parents, but I think it’s at an all-time high. During the pandemic, we were worried that some kids would be isolated in their homes and without interactions from trusted adults like teachers. I believe we are seeing those kids come into foster care at an alarming rate and there aren’t enough families to help care for these high-need youth.”

Sadly, the need in our community is more critical than most of us realize.

“People are just not aware of the unfolding crisis,” explained Alison Watson, Team Leader for the West Lakes Region Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Network of Kentucky. “Children are sleeping on cots in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) offices. Some teens are living in hotel rooms where a social worker stays with them 24/7. There are just not enough homes to accept them.”

Watson’s deep passion for helping local children in foster care comes from her background as a foster child. After her own experiences, Watson now works in recruiting, training, and supporting foster families in the Purchase Area through the Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Network of Kentucky.

“I was a foster child for the first few months of life and later was adopted,” she told me. “I always wanted to pay it forward. I was finally in a position to do so after my husband and I had been married for a few years and had one child of our own. We fostered and then adopted a sibling group of four children.”

A Timely Solution

One of the main goals for children in foster care is to assist the family through a crisis so that the child can be reunited with their family as quickly as possible. Another goal is to provide a permanent solution for the child within a certain time frame, usually around two to three years. Research shows that children thrive best with families where they feel safe, loved, and have a place to call their home. For that reason, if birth parents are not able to care for their child safely, the child may become eligible for adoption to find them a permanent family. In that case, the state may place the child with a member of their biological family who is willing to care for them. If not, the foster family they are placed with may have the option to adopt.

Becoming a Foster Parent

The first step in becoming a foster parent is to gather information so you can see if this is something you and your family can do. In the Purchase Area, there are public meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, in person or on Zoom. Those interested in providing respite care, or overnight care for a child, may also attend. Contact nancy.thomas@ ky.gov or jharber@ky.gov for more information or to register for classes.

“There are many options to choose from to meet the needs of children in your care,” Watson told me. “Training is available online so you can complete it when it’s convenient for your schedule.”

There are several requirements for adults who want to become foster or adoptive parents. These may vary slightly depending on the agency, but most have the same criteria. Applicants must be 21, financially stable with an income sufficient to meet their family’s needs, have good physical and mental health, and provide a safe, happy home. For a full list of requirements, visit https://prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces.

Once an individual or couple decides to pursue fostering, there will be paperwork, background checks, home inspection, and 15 hours of mostly online training. It typically takes six to nine months from the time you attend the first informational meeting until you receive a call for your first child. Additionally, foster parents are required to take twelve hours of continuing education annually.

Newborns, Teens & In Between

The ages of children in foster care range from infants just released from the hospital to teens in high school. When you decide to foster, you can specify what age range, gender, and level of special or medical need you feel most comfortable fostering.

“If a family has a 5-year-old daughter, they can request to have another little girl around that age,” Watson said. “If you decide to foster children with special or medical needs, like a child in a wheelchair or diabetes, extra training is required and provided.”

The number of homeless teenagers in our area is astounding. Providing a safe home, love, and mentorship to a teen can make a huge difference in their lives. Please consider helping a teen become a responsible and productive adult by opening your heart and your home to one.

“Omni Visions is seeking foster homes for all ages but our greatest needs are homes willing to take sibling groups and/or teens,” said Elizabeth

McKendree, Kentucky State Program Director with Omni Visions Inc. “Research shows that keeping siblings together leads to better outcomes unless there are extenuating circumstances. It is often a struggle to find homes for sibling groups. There is a shortage of homes willing to accept and care for teenagers. People typically want younger children and are hesitant to take on a teen. Additionally, these teenagers include the youth who are placed in DCBS offices and rooms at state park resorts due to lack of available foster homes.”

A Loving, Safe Home

There are many reasons children enter the foster system; the most common is being neglected due to parental drug use. Sometimes, a child may have been removed due to abuse and may have been mistreated or overlooked for years. No matter the reason, all children need a loving, safe home where they can have the necessary attention and guidance to fulfill their potential and go after their dreams.

“These kids need a family who will make them a priority,” Watson said. “They need someone to take them to school, regular doctor visits, and counseling; find out their interests and hobbies, get them to play a sport, join a club, or participate in church and other group activities.”

Is This Right For Me?

Fear of failure keeps some parents from fostering. A child removed from their home due to neglect may have been abused or have a mental or physical disability that was unknown at the time of placement. In that case, they may need a more therapeutic or medically trained foster home. If you cannot meet the needs of a child placed in your home, there is no shame in making sure the child is taken care of in the best way possible.

“Sometimes the first home a child is placed in doesn’t work out,” explained Watson. “Foster parents can always request that a child is moved to a more suitable home or one where the family has specialized training. If you would like to keep the child, you can request specific training to help you meet their needs. My husband and I had to make that difficult decision once. We still think about those two children and hope they are doing well.”

Being a foster parent is a huge but very rewarding undertaking. If you have questions about fostering, please contact Alison at awatson1@ murraystate.edu. For more information on fostering in the Purchase Area, visit https://prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces or call 270.705.3664. You can also contact with NECCO by calling 270.898.1293 and Omni Visions at 270-254-6844. 