May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the role foster homes play in enhancing the lives of children and youths in foster care, Crow Wing County officials said in a news release.
When parents are unable to keep their children due to crisis, neglect or abuse, the children enter the foster care system consisting of safe homes to care for them. As of April 1, there were 72 licensed foster families with 138 children and teens in foster care in the county.
“There is significant importance of having licensed foster homes as these homes provide a safe, stable living environment for babies to teens while their parents work towards reunification,” County Family Services Supervisor Ronda Kline said in the news release.
Kline said the need for families who can foster sibling groups is great at this time, as well as crisis homes. Crisis homes are available to take children on short notice for short periods of time.
There continues to be an urgent need for foster and adoptive parents to open their hearts and homes to children in need of a safe environment in which to grow and thrive, the news release said.
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Those interested in becoming a foster parent or would like to discuss the possibility further can call 218-824-1154 and ask to speak with Nikki Alich, a county child foster care licensing social worker.
