How to Help

What Help Do Foster Parents Need?

Every case is unique and often requires tailored care. For instance, some foster families may need ongoing educational support while others may need a stronger emphasis on past trauma counseling. There also can be an overlap of needs depending on circumstances present. However, there is a set of overarching needs many foster families share. Disclaimer: these needs may change according to each foster family.

Transitions

These are often the most demanding needs to meet. There is a growing need to ensure appropriate agencies are helping children transition into foster care, out of care, and into other life situations, such as adulthood or adoption. Support and training are vital aspects aimed at easing periods of transition. For reference, foster children in the U.S. are seven times more likely to experience depression and five times more likely to have anxiety when aging out than non-fostered children and young adults.

Financial Care

While there is a small amount of financial support offered to foster parents, it often doesn’t cover every cost involved. There are hidden costs to fostering, such as putting together cohesive and concise programs, guides, and training resources for successful and effective foster parenting. Over a five-year period in the U.S. foster system, there’s a spend of $25,600 on average per child.

Guidance & Therapy

Due to unique (and sometimes upsetting) circumstances, many kids in foster care require therapy, guidance, and mentorship: Their complex backgrounds and histories bring about intense emotions and personal challenges. Compared to U.S. veterans, former foster children are twice as likely to suffer from PTSD. The added stigma attached to fostering can often lead to a heavy emotional load for both children and their foster families.

Physical Needs

Depending on the situation, there are additional needs that a foster family can face, such as added physical needs including home life and clothing. These needs can often incur significant costs. In the U.S., one in five foster children who age out don’t have a home when they turn 18 years old.

Education

More than 40% of school-aged children in foster care experience difficulties in education. Compared to low income children, there’s a three times higher high school dropout rate for foster youth.

While staggering in and of itself, the need for education goes beyond day-to-day teaching and traditional education. Vital training resources for foster youth and foster parents are needed to help them understand each other and develop a mutual, grounded respect and accommodation in the foster care system and beyond. This will help foster children succeed in primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education.

How Can Organizations Help Children in Foster Care?

Organizations who would like to offer support are in great demand. Whether it’s the ability to provide services and create fundraising opportunities or help produce networking events for those in foster care, there are several ways in which an organization can provide support.

If you belong to an organization or would like to offer your support as a medium-to-large scale enterprise, please contact Foster Coalition to begin the process. Our resource collection and ongoing database can help place your agency, organization, group, or collective in the right vein. We are here to help entities effectively coordinate for the good of those in the foster care system.

Can Individuals Help the Foster Care System?

Yes, individuals are needed in almost every aspect of the fostering community. There are many ways in which an individual can offer their help and support. The most significant need is to relieve the current strain on the system. Here’s how:

Become a Foster Parent

One of the most obvious ways to offer support or help is by becoming a foster parent yourself. This concept can be daunting at first; however, if you’d like to offer support and have the capacity to pursue fostering, fostering children can be a rewarding experience. Foster Coalition churches equip and support you in this journey.

Offering Services to Those in Foster Care

One of the most obvious ways to offer help is by becoming a foster parent. If you’d like to offer support in this way and have the capacity to pursue fostering, fostering children is often an enriching experience. Foster Coalition and our partner churches can help equip and support you in this manner.

We encourage prospective foster families to consider talking with a foster care agency about becoming a respite care parent if full-time fostering isn’t a viable option. These are often short-term stays that work to relieve burdens from the foster care system.

Already a Foster Parent?

If you are already an active member in the foster care community and want to help support the fostering community, consider adopting a child in foster care. Only 50 percent of foster children are reunited with family or a primary caregiver. In the U.S. and among all foster youth, one-third of all males and three-fourths of females are dependent on government assistance programs.

How Can You Get Involved?

Getting involved is much easier than you think. Foster caregivers and others in the system always need support or resources. There are several different ways in which you can help.

How Can You Help Offer Resources for Foster Families?

First is time; volunteers are always needed—more hands make light of heavy loads. Connect with your local foster communities to find where your help is most needed.

Start a Foster Care Ministry at Your Church

The church can offer an essential support network for foster children and families. Consider starting a Foster Care Ministry dedicated to helping foster families at your church.

Donations

One of the most overlooked resources in foster care is donated goods used by foster homes. Goods such as blankets, clothing, food, grocery vouchers, and toiletries are always welcome to help support the needs of foster children.

Financial Support

For some, a financial contribution is the most straightforward way to help spread the word and continue advocacy work in the community. Even a small donation can go a long way in a foster child’s life.

Online and In-Person Advocacy

Speaking out and sharing information about resources for those in the foster care system is another excellent way to show your support.

Host a Donation Drive

Another method that is often overlooked is itemized and financial donations. This can come in many forms, including offering to help host a donation drive where people from within the community can donate supplies or fundraise and raise awareness for foster children in care.

Volunteering

Time is one of our most valuable resources. Whether you’re available to mentor youth as a local business person or have a service you can offer to a local agency and/or family in the foster care system, get in touch with Foster Coalition to see how your services can be further utilized.

No matter the size or type of contributions, know that it makes a world of difference to those who need it most. Community resources for foster parents are vital and they often come in many forms.

Donate Transportation to Aged Out Youth

Often, youth aging out of the foster care system don’t have access to reliable transportation. If led, you can donate a vehicle for foster youth to use to get to and from work. If you’re a dealership or auto repair shop, you can offer repairs and/or car work at a reduced rate to recently aged out foster youth.

Contact Foster Coalition

Contact us to see how you can use your talents and resources to the benefit of the foster care system.

Helping Those in Foster Care

Fostering an environment of effective and healthy thinking—coupled with problem-solving attitudes—is vital to the survival of the foster care system and those within it. At Foster Coalition, we believe that support from the wider community is critical. That’s why we serve as a coordinator between like-minded agencies, organizations, churches, groups, and individuals toward a more robust foster care system. 

Research has shown that collective impact works toward improving end goals, if certain pillars of support are met: a common agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, ongoing communication, and backbone support organizations. Foster Coalition provides the backbone of support needed for interested parties to help the foster care system succeed and thrive. We are the place to focus passion into one prevailing mission. If you would like to help or offer services, please get in touch with a member of our team.