FOSTER CARE MANY HOMES ARE UNSAFE for children, forcing these children to be removed. They are placed in the care of a loved one or a foster family. Children who are already experiencing hardships in their biological family should be able to find safety and care in the hands of the foster care system. Without enough foster parents to take in these children, they can fall through the cracks. Children in the foster care system can be neglected without proper funding for foster parents, foster parent supervision and child representation.
370
Average Children Per Day From the period of Oct. 2019 to Sept. 2020, Leon County’s foster care system has a daily average of 370 children. (Fostering Court Improvement, 2020)
134,975 My experience with this system was a nightmare. I actively sought this system to shelter the baby I was caring for so that I could gain legal right to make decisions for him. However, when I entered this system I trusted, I quickly learned that it did not value the caregivers. The agencies were willing to not follow policies and were not concerned with making sure what was done with the child was trauma informed. The bright side is we were able to get legislation changed with SB80 "Romel's Bill," which is going to be signed into law by the Governor soon. Talethia Edwards, parent and Executive Director, The H.A.N.D. Up Project
16
Children in Leon County Spent Combined Nights in Foster Care
(Fostering Court Improvement, 2020)
$15
Florida's System Payment Per Day Per Child This leads to foster care panic, meaning there is a shortage of people willing to be foster parents. (Beall, P., Braga, M. & Hirt S. (2021, March 21). Tallahassee Democrat)
