Data Shows Foster Care Shortage Leading To Crisis In North Carolina

WBTV News - Charlotte
1 Feb 202305:10
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn North Carolina, a crisis looms as over 12,000 children in the child welfare system lack stable homes. The pandemic has led to a 23% drop in licensed foster homes from 2021 to 2022, leaving children to sleep in offices and shelters. The Children's Home Society of North Carolina, a foster family support organization, emphasizes the need for more families to provide love and care, even if temporary, to these vulnerable kids. The process to become a foster parent takes 4-6 months, ensuring children are placed in safe environments. The society urges the community to support foster care, whether by becoming parents or spreading awareness.

Takeaways
  • 😔 There is a crisis in North Carolina's child welfare system with around 12,000 children needing foster care.
  • 🏡 Some children are having to sleep in county offices or even jails due to a lack of foster homes.
  • 📉 The number of licensed foster homes has declined by 23 percent between 2021 and 2022, according to data from the I Foster organization.
  • 🔄 The issue is not a rise in children needing care, but a decrease in available foster homes to accommodate them.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Michaela Reinhardt, a family recruitment specialist, emphasizes the need for more families to phase in and out of the foster system to provide stability.
  • 💔 The impact on staff is emotionally draining, as they often have to say no to children in need due to a lack of foster parents.
  • 🚫 Common misconceptions about foster care, such as fear of attachment, need to be addressed to encourage more people to become foster parents.
  • 🏠 The goal of foster care is reunification with the child's biological family, which is a primary concern for potential foster parents.
  • 💖 Foster parents are needed who can love and care for children while understanding the temporary nature of their care.
  • 📝 The process to become a licensed foster parent through Children's Home Society of North Carolina takes about four to six months, including background checks and home studies.
  • 🤝 Encouraging the community to support foster care efforts, even if not becoming a foster parent, is crucial for change.
Q & A

  • What is the current crisis in North Carolina's child welfare system?

    -There is a crisis in North Carolina's child welfare system with approximately 12,000 children needing foster care, and a shortage of licensed foster homes leading to some children having to sleep in county offices or even jails.

  • What was the impact of the pandemic on the number of licensed foster homes?

    -The pandemic in 2020 led to a significant drop in the number of licensed foster homes, with a 23 percent decrease between 2021 and 2022, according to the foster care support organization I Foster.

  • What is the role of the Children's Home Society of North Carolina?

    -The Children's Home Society of North Carolina is an organization that trains and supports foster families, and is one of the organizations the Department of Social Services contacts when they have a child in need of a foster family.

  • What happens to children who are not matched with foster families?

    -Children who are not matched with foster families may end up sleeping in DSS offices, shelters, or hotels, highlighting the urgent need for more foster parents.

  • How does the lack of foster parents affect the staff at the Department of Social Services?

    -The lack of foster parents is mentally draining for the staff at the Department of Social Services, as they often have to say no to children in need due to the lack of available foster homes.

  • What is the main goal of foster care according to the script?

    -The main goal of foster care, even with the North Carolina Heart Gallery (NCHS), is reunification, meaning the ultimate aim is to reunite the child with their biological family.

  • What is the common misconception about becoming a foster parent?

    -A common misconception is that foster parents fear getting too attached to a child and then having the child taken away, which can deter potential foster parents from stepping forward.

  • What is the process to become a licensed foster parent with Children's Home Society?

    -The process to become a licensed foster parent with Children's Home Society takes about four to six months, involving background checks, home studies, and other necessary steps to ensure children are placed in safe and loving homes.

  • What is the biggest hurdle for people considering becoming foster parents?

    -The biggest hurdle for people considering becoming foster parents is the fear of getting too attached to a child and then having to let them go back to their biological family.

  • What is Michaela Reinhardt's hope for people considering foster care?

    -Michaela Reinhardt hopes that people will see the beauty and love in fostering and understand that it is crucial to get attached to and love these children, even if they eventually return to their biological families.

  • How can people help if they are not ready to become foster parents?

    -People can help by sharing information about foster care, supporting organizations like CHS, networking, or inviting representatives to speak at their community gatherings to raise awareness.

Outlines
00:00
🛏️ Foster Care Crisis in North Carolina

The script discusses a crisis in North Carolina's child welfare system, where approximately 12,000 children are in need of foster care. The issue is not an increase in children requiring care, but a significant decrease in licensed foster homes, which has led to a 23% drop from 2021 to 2022. The decline has resulted in children having to sleep in offices, shelters, and even county jails, highlighting a dire need for more foster families. The script introduces Michaela Reinhardt, a family recruitment specialist for the Children's Home Society of North Carolina, who emphasizes the emotional toll on staff when they cannot place children due to a lack of foster parents. The narrative stresses the importance of breaking stereotypes and misconceptions about foster care and the need for genuine love and care for these children, even with the understanding that reunification with their biological families is the ultimate goal.

05:00
🤲 Support for Potential Foster Parents

This paragraph offers support and resources for individuals considering becoming foster parents. It mentions the Children's Home Society of North Carolina as an organization that can provide assistance and guidance through the process. The script also includes a call to action for the audience to visit the website wbtv.com for more information and a link to the organization. The emphasis is on the critical need for foster parents and the various ways the community can contribute, whether by becoming a foster parent or by spreading awareness and supporting the cause.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Child welfare system
The child welfare system refers to the network of public and private agencies that work together to ensure the safety and well-being of children. In the context of the video, it highlights the plight of children in North Carolina who are in need of foster care but are struggling to find homes, emphasizing the system's current strain and the urgent need for more foster families.
💡Foster care
Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a certified caretaker due to the removal of the child from their home by the state. The video discusses the decline in available foster homes and the impact this has on children who are left without a stable home environment.
💡Foster parents
Foster parents are individuals or couples who take on the responsibility of caring for a child or children who have been removed from their biological families by the state. The script emphasizes the emotional toll on these individuals when they cannot place children due to a lack of available foster homes.
💡Pandemic
The term 'pandemic' refers to an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. The video script indicates that the pandemic in 2020 has had a significant impact on the number of licensed foster homes, contributing to a 23 percent drop between 2021 and 2022.
💡Reunification
Reunification in the context of foster care is the process of returning a child to their biological family after they have been removed due to abuse or neglect. The script mentions that the primary goal of foster care is reunification, which can be a difficult concept for potential foster parents to accept, as they may become attached to the children they care for.
💡Foster care support organization
A foster care support organization is a group or entity that provides assistance, resources, and advocacy for foster families and children in the foster care system. In the script, the organization 'I Foster' is mentioned as the source of the data showing the decline in foster homes from 2018 to 2022.
💡Children's Home Society of North Carolina
The Children's Home Society of North Carolina is a specific organization mentioned in the script that trains and supports foster families. It is an example of an organization that works directly with the Department of Social Services to place children in need of foster care.
💡Home studies
A home study is a process that prospective foster or adoptive parents must go through to ensure they can provide a safe and suitable environment for a child. The script mentions that the process of getting licensed, which includes home studies, takes about four to six months.
💡Licensing
Licensing in the context of foster care refers to the official approval or permission granted to individuals or families to become foster parents. The script explains that the Children's Home Society of North Carolina helps prospective foster families through the licensing process to ensure children are placed in safe and loving homes.
💡Attachment
Attachment in psychology refers to the emotional bond between a child and their caregiver. The script discusses the concern of potential foster parents about becoming too attached to a child and the emotional challenge of having the child return to their biological family.
💡Mentally draining
Mentally draining describes a situation that is emotionally exhausting or depleting. The script uses this term to describe the impact on staff when they cannot place children in foster homes, highlighting the emotional toll of working in the child welfare system.
Highlights

Crisis in North Carolina's child welfare system with around 12,000 children in need of foster care.

Children are having to sleep in county offices and even jails due to a lack of foster homes.

Decline in licensed foster homes, with a 23% drop between 2021 and 2022.

The need for a continuous cycle of new foster families to replace those who phase out.

Michaela Reinhardt, a family recruitment specialist, discusses the role of Children's Home Society of North Carolina.

Children are sleeping in DSS offices, shelters, and hotels due to a lack of foster parents.

The emotional toll on staff when they have to say no to children in need of foster care.

The importance of challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about foster care.

Foster care's primary goal is reunification of children with their families.

The fear of getting too attached and having the child taken away is a common concern for potential foster parents.

The need for people with a big heart to get attached and love the children in foster care.

The process of getting licensed as a foster parent takes about four to six months.

Background checks, home studies, and other requirements are part of the licensing process.

Encouragement for people to help in any way they can, even if not becoming a foster parent.

The call to action for individuals to be the change and support the foster care system.

Michaela's personal passion for the issue and her dedication to making a difference.

Information on how to learn more about becoming a foster parent is available through Children's Home Society of North Carolina.

Transcripts

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Foster CareChild WelfareNorth CarolinaCrisisSupport NeededFamily RecruitmentSocial ServicesHomelessnessCommunity ImpactFoster ParentsChild Advocacy