How Do You Do It?

Probably the most asked question I hear when talking to people about being a foster parent is, How do you do it?

The short answer is, I can’t picture not doing it. I feel called.

The longer answer…

Each year approximately 7,400 children enter the foster care for the first time. And on any given day approximately 13,000 children are in foster care or residential placement due to abuse and neglect.

On an average children and youth are in an out of home placement for 1-2 years before exiting care.

Today more then half a million children in America live in foster care. This year alone approximately 20,000 of them will age out of foster care typically at age 18.

Between 31% and 46% of youth exiting foster care experience homelessness by age 26. A study conducted in Washington State found that approximately one quarter of youth that exited foster care at age 17 or older became homeless within 12 months of exit.

More than 3,000 children in Michigan are waiting for permanent, loving homes each year.

Approximately 13,000 children in Michigan alone are in Foster care, are the are only approximately 6,000 licensed homes. The fluctuates due to homes closing at an alarming rate. Simply put, there just isn’t enough homes to take the children in need. This often lands them in Residential Facilities, homeless shelters, and sometimes sleeping on the floors in agencies until a placement can be found.

CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM CONTINUE TO:

• spend unnecessary time in residential or shelter placements because of the lack of available foster homes;
• experience multiple placement moves due to the lack of available homes from which to choose a good match;
• experience greater uncertainty, increased trauma and poorer outcomes due to multiple placement moves; and
• are more frequently separated from their siblings because of a lack of available homes to accommodate multiple children.

So, my heart is called and although I know we can’t help them all. We say yes to those we can, and pray that the rest can find a place where they may heal and hopefully their stay in foster care will not be long.