May is National Foster Care Month
By Shellie Velasco, Program Officer
In the fear of the Lord there is a strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. – Proverbs 14:26
Healthy families are the bedrock of our communities, with children being raised in nurturing homes. Yet at times youth find themselves in situations without safe, appropriate care. It is in these instances that foster parents, both through traditional foster care settings and in kinship care placements, often step in to provide caring, stable environments when children are unable to live with their parents.
Over the l
ast several years in Texas, the numbers of children entering foster care have gone down, presumedly due in large part to a change in the minimum requirements that need to be met to remove a child from their home. But while numbers have decreased, agencies serving foster children in the North Texas area report that children coming into care often experience complex trauma and have high-level needs. These children require and deserve compassionate care while they heal.
Foster parents, and the child welfare professionals working alongside them, provide medical, mental health, educational, social, and spiritual supports for children. They understand that often children want to be with their families of origin and experience many emotions as they adjust to living in a new home. Foster parents serve in an incredibly important role, whether a child remains with them a few days, months, or years. They often simultaneously bond with a child in their home while rooting for the successful reunification of a child with their parents when possible, prioritizing that child’s best interests.
Years ago, I worked in a child-placing agency in the Dallas-Fort Worth area serving foster children. I saw firsthand the dedication, love, and kindness foster parents showed to children entrusted to their care. Many days were far from easy – for the child or the caregivers. But I witnessed children experiencing successes and reaching important milestones with the guidance and support of their foster families.
The Rees-Jones Foundation supports many quality North Texas agencies serving children in the substitute care system and other youth who have experienced maltreatment. I truly believe being a foster parent is a God-given calling. As we recognize National Foster Care Month in May, I am grateful for many who have answered that call and for the organizations who support them.