Be a Foster Parent – Change a Lifetime

May is Foster Parent Appreciation Month

All children deserve a safe, happy life. Foster parents can help change a lifetime by providing the caring support and guidance that young people need to thrive, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

“People become foster parents out of their love and compassion for children,” said Todd Reckling, director of the Division of Children and Families in DHHS. “I want to thank these wonderful families who open their hearts and homes to provide a temporary, safe place for the children and youth who need them.”

Nebraska’s recent Families Matter reform of the child welfare and juvenile services system focuses on having fewer children in the state’s care and more served safely in their homes.

“I want people to know we’ll continue to need caring foster parents for children whose own families are in crisis and unable to care for them,” Reckling said. “We want to make sure there will always be enough loving foster families.” 

Foster families who open their homes and hearts to children whose families are in crisis play a vital role in helping children and families heal, he said. In March 2011, there were 1,671 licensed foster homes, 1,763 approved foster homes (which are typically placements with a relative) and 49 that were both licensed and approved.

Find out if being a foster parent is right for you by calling 1-800-7-PARENT today. For more information about foster care, go to http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/chs_foc_focindex.aspx.