We all know how hard the pandemic has been on children and teens.  They lost time in school, sports, activities, being with friends and family, and endured months of isolation, fear, and anxiety like many adults.  For children in foster care the struggles of the pandemic were added to an already traumatic and uncertain time of their life. 

    May is National Foster Care Month, a time when we highlight the need for more foster parents, the value of excellent foster parenting, and thank the truly amazing foster parents who are doing this work.

     There are currently 2,674 children in the custody of Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS). In Ohio, nearly 16,000 children are living in out-of-home placement settings every day. That means there are continuing needs for foster parents across the state, including here in Cuyahoga County.  (Learn more about how to become a foster parent.)

     Foster care is meant to be temporary. Having a safe, loving, and supportive foster parent makes all the difference for children who can’t be in their own home.  It can also be the key to reuniting children with their families.  Foster parents not only provide a home for children and teens, they can also serve as mentors to parents who need to learn parenting skills and offer support and encouragement to parents coping with addiction or other issues. That’s why the theme for this month is Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents. DCFS provides ongoing training and support for foster parents to help them throughout the process.

     We certainly have some wonderful families who have stepped up to provide loving homes for young children, older teens and sibling groups who need to stay together.  Some of them go on to adopt and form permanent families. 

     Children come into foster care through no fault of their own, but every child needs family.  Visit our Foster Care and Adoption page to learn more about what it takes to become a foster parent.