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OPINION
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Arizona desperately needs foster parents
BY MIKE FAUST AFN Guest Writer
The statistics are alarming: Calls to Arizona Department of Child Safety’s abuse and neglect hotline have spiked 25 percent in the last six months.
As of this writing, there are 13,790 youth in Arizona’s foster care system – but there are only 3,292 licensed foster homes. Not only is this woefully inadequate, but it’s also the lowest number of licensed homes in DCS’ history.
That’s why we’re working urgently to recruit more foster care providers to bring safety and stability for Arizona’s most vulnerable children. We are seeking single adults, married couples, 20-somethings, seniors and everyone in between to help kids in desperate need. Many people in our community have wondered about foster care – they have love to give and a difference to make – but they’re not sure they’re a good fit or don’t not know where to start.
Perhaps you’re someone who has wondered about becoming a foster care provider – and perhaps your concerns and considerations have stopped you from taking the next step. If you’ve ever thought about foster care, here are 11 things you may not know:
Kids enter the foster care center through no fault of their own. They are placed in care because their biological parents or legal guardians are unable to care for them safely. Neglect is the No. 1 reason children enter care. Substance abuse is the No. 1 cause of parental neglect. The good news is that substance abuse is treatable.
The purpose of a foster family is to offer a safe, stable place for children to learn and grow while birth parents do the work that’s needed to bring their kids home to a safe environment.
Most kids in foster care have siblings – DCS does everything possible to keep them together and appreciates foster homes that can keep families intact. When considering becoming a foster parent, keep in mind the greatest impact you may have on the lives of children is to keep them together.
Children thrive in family environments free from abuse and neglect. They need a safe place to learn from their mistakes and gain new skills to use in their future. They need someone to ask about their school day, wish them a happy birthday and check up on their homework.
Children in foster care are regular kids! Despite the challenges handed to them, they love playing outside, hanging out with friends, spending time with loved ones and eating their favorite foods. Their personalities and interests vary widely, but most of them have something special in common: an incredible resilience no matter the odds.
You don’t have to be a forever parent to consider fostering. Adoption is not the goal for most children. Instead, DCS works to place them in a safe and loving family setting until they can safely go home to their parents. For foster parents, this means providing a stable, yet temporary, home for a child.
If children are unable to reunite with their parents, DCS works to connect them with loving, adoptive families. People who are interested in adopting can work with a licensing agency on becoming certified to adopt.
Rethink your age. Adults ages 21 to 70+ can become licensed to provide foster care. Many young professionals and empty nesters have homes to share and love to give.
Being a foster parent is not always the easiest job in the world, but it’s certainly one of the most fulfilling. Fostering will positively impact your life as much as it will a child’s.
Many people are interested in becoming licensed to provide foster care, but believe their circumstances make them a bad fit. Most of the time, this simply isn’t true. Good foster parents come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and beliefs. What do they have in common? They’re able to provide safety and stability, and they want to ensure a positive future for children in our community.
You can learn all about foster care and whether it’s right for you by calling 877-543-7633 or visiting AZDCS. gov/foster.
Please consider becoming a foster care provider and help change a child’s life forever – not to mention your own. Now is the time to step up and be the difference these children desperately need.
