Foster care is something we don’t talk much about but we really should. It’s an incredible service to the child, the community, and to adoptive parents. Today we are looking at what foster care is, the impact it has on our communities, and how to get children into the right families.
It’s The Safest Place
Foster care is where children go when they have to leave their homes. The reasons for their leaving can be numerous and doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be adopted by another family. Foster care systems, such as Youth Villages, offer a safe place to stay to help them get through the difficulty they are facing. The systems make sure that they have shelter, food in their bellies, medical care for their physical and mental health, and loving host parents who will help them navigate the changes in their lives.
Children Can Thrive
Children who stay in unsafe situations, or who are left to their own devices, do not know how to function in the real world. They develop survival skills that will not take them far. A caring family who opens their home up to them temporarily can be the saving factor in that child’s life. They can learn how to interact in a family setting in a healthy way. They learn amazing coping skills to get through difficult times. Many times, they learn basic life skills in the home that are vital for all of us to get by on. Good bathing habits, good eating habits, and learning how to clean their living space are important life lessons that they may already be lacking. Their self-esteem will improve greatly simply by being loved and supported. They can return to their home after their parents meet certain requirements, hopefully avoiding the possibility that the parents can undo all the foster care parent’s work. If they aren’t able to return home, they can then be adopted by families who will continue the great work of molding these youngsters into amazing human beings. Foster care parents and adoptive parents are a true blessing to a lost child.
Busting The Myths
Unfortunately, foster care gets a bad rep in our country. That bad rep causes for a lot of myths about fostering and foster care. Many people assume that all the children are
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