May is Foster Care Awareness Month

Join us this May to raise awareness about foster care!

This year’s theme is relative and kin connections: keeping families strong. It is our hope that the awareness we help bring to this topic will increase family and cultural ties for children and youth in foster care.

 

Key facts/statistics from childwelfare.gov

• There are over 407,000 children and youth in foster care, and 34 percent were placed with relatives or kin. 
• When children cannot remain safely in their home, placement with relatives and kin – both formally through the child welfare system and informal through family arrangements – can increase stability, reduce trauma, and help children maintain a sense of family, belonging and identity.
• Investing in culturally appropriate services and support for relative and kin caregivers may help reinforce a child’s cultural identity and traditions.
• Relational permanency is fundamental to the well-being of children and youth. Maintaining relationships with relatives and kin can help provide a sense of belonging for young people in care.

 

How can you help the 407,000 children in foster care?

1. Share about FCA on social media and with your friends and family.
2. Donate to MFFK, so we can continue to offer at-cost and free services for children and families
3. Educate yourself
4. Contact us to become a foster parent, mentor, or respite home

 

Our services for foster care children and families:

• Licensing and support for families
• Counseling for youth, children, and families
• Support groups
• Relatives raising others kin resources and support groups
• Respite care
• Leadership and job opportunities for youth
• Developmental screenings and resources for children with delays
• Advocacy

 

You can learn more about foster care awareness month, statistics, and more here- https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/