Month in Review: October 2024
Last month, we received 66 referrals for foster care and welcomed 3 children into our care. Here is a breakdown of October's stats.
Age:
- 0-2: 2 children
- 3-5: 10 children
- 6-8: 10 children
- 9-11: 12 children
- 12-14: 14 children
- 15-17: 18 children
- 18+: 1 child
Sibling Groups:
- 33 single children
- 5 sibling groups of 2
- 5 sibling groups of 3
- 1 sibling group of 4
- 1 mother/baby (teen mom in foster care being placed with her baby who is in her care)
We placed 3 children in October. Two of these children were short-term placements (one a respite, and the other a pre-placement visit) and the other was a kinship placement. Sadly, we did not make any traditional foster care placements. The primary reason for this is that our homes are currently very full! We are working hard to recruit and certify more families so that we will have more space available for children who need care.
Reflecting on these statistics, it is worth noting that we can't control the number or kinds of referrals we receive. A common misconception many families have when searching for a foster care agency is that they are looking for the one "with the most young children" or where they are more likely to get placed with a certain type of child. The truth is that all agencies receive the same referrals. The only thing that we can control is how well we prepare our families for the referrals that we do receive.
The needs of foster care are constantly changing, and in our post-pandemic world the reality is that children's mental and physical health needs are greater than ever before. We recently updated some of our new family orientation materials to help give families the skills and support they need to lovingly care for children with special needs. While it's not an easy journey, it is crucial that we provide robust support to the courageous families who choose this path. TBRI, Care Communities, and our ongoing training opportunities are just some of the many ways we provide this support.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent, we would love to connect.
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