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While foster parents are helping children all around the globe, there are still many children waiting for a safe and stable home. Many children in foster care move from foster home to foster home and struggle with connecting with their families, in fear they will only move away as soon as they get close. Other foster children are separated from their siblings and left feeling alone and confused. Some end up leaving one abusive situation for another. But not all experiences are bad, and there is hope. That is why great foster parents are needed. Read on to learn more about the heartbreaking statistics that will make you want to become a foster parent.
Statistic One:
There are over 400,000 children in foster care in the United States.
This heartbreaking statistic points out the grim reality that many children are left living away from their birth parents for their own safety. Whether abuse and neglect was suspected or proven in the household or their parents are temporarily seeking rehabilitation services, there are a variety of reasons why children are placed in foster care.
Statistic Two:
The average age of kids entering foster care is 8.
When we take the time to look at the recent data, we can see that babies, toddlers and kindergarten-aged children are not the only ones in need of foster care. In fact, there are a large number of youths between the ages of 8 and 18. Remember, all foster children, including tweens and teenagers, deserve a safe and stable home.
Statistic Three:
While many children in foster care live in family settings, some live in institutions or group homes.
It is true that many foster children lack a level of normalcy in their lives, as they are forced to share their space with a large number of other foster children, either in a group home or institution. Many times, resources are low or unavailable for children in these situations. Children also receive less individual attention and emotional support, something very important to a child’s development and sense of security at a young age.
Statistic Four:
While most children remain in state care for nearly two years, some have languished there for five or more years.
You can only imagine the amount of times a foster child may have bounced around in a two-year period. Now imagine how many times within a five-year period (or more). It is no wonder these children age out of the foster care system feeling distraught, lost and unable to connect with others. Shockingly, without love and support, many end up homeless or incarcerated.
While the statistics remain heartbreaking, new foster parents are stepping up to the plate every day. If you have ever considered fostering, now is the time to do some additional research and to consider what you can do to make an impact on a foster child’s life. By simply providing a stable and safe home, you can give a child the chance to grow into a successful and happy adult. You hold the potential to change someone else’s life for the better within the palm of your hands.
If you reside in the state of Illinois and are ready to foster, reach out to Camelot Care Centers today.
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency
