As Kentucky’s foster care system struggles to keep up with demand, thousands of children are left waiting for stable homes amid a growing shortage of foster families.
Earlier this month, Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball and Ombudsman Jonathan Grate released a report on the number of foster care kids sleeping in the Cabinet of Health and Family Services (CHFS) offices and other non-traditional placements. In that report, it notes there are approximately 8,700 children in foster care and fewer than 4,600 approved and available foster care homes.
Department of Community-Based Services Commissioner Lesa Dennis said there has always been a need for foster homes. She said the department’s biggest need is for foster parents who can take in kids ages 12 and up, sibling groups and those with complex needs–like behavioral health.
“We have always needed foster homes that are willing to care for youth 12 and up and sibling groups. But what we have seen, especially since the pandemic, is that children are having more complex behavioral health needs, and those are children of adolescent age. The pandemic put a strain on an already strained system,” Dennis said. “We are prepared to support children [who] have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma. So when we see this population of youth has more aggressive behaviors, juvenile justice involvement and more complex needs, it’s putting a strain on the foster care system and our provider network.”
Former foster youth speaks out about foster home needs
Reuben Watson, a Logan County native and a former foster youth, said he fit in this demographic when he was in the foster care system. He said that he was abused and neglected when he was younger, in his biological parents’ home and in some foster care homes, and experienced the struggles an adolescent in foster care may face.
“With kids that are a little older [like I was], you’ve got a hardened shell because you’ve had to do that to survive. Part of your survival mechanisms is using tools and things that probably wouldn’t serve you well if you’re in a healthy environment, but to survive from the trauma that you’ve experienced, there’s a shell you have to put on,” Watson said.
He said older kids and those with behavioral and mental health issues can be seen as “damaged goods,” and some foster care parents may misunderstand them, resulting in them not lasting long in the home or not taking them in.
“I think some people think that if I choose a child that is under a certain age, I can shape and mold them to be what I want them to be…I’m of the belief that those children are not beyond repair. Being the one who caused chaos and issues, and yet my [adoptive] parents chose me,” Watson said. “When you talk about teenagers that have the opportunity to be loved and cared for, they’re as deserving as the babies.”
He said he encourages those considering fostering teenagers to take them in, but there has to be understanding that it might take them longer to heal and open up.
“My hope and challenge would be for those who are considering fostering teenagers is that there is hope on the horizon, and that has to be understood and communicated,” Watson said. “Those kids are worthy of love and understanding.”
Watson said it is important for the foster families to know that they are “building” the foster kids up.
“You’re laying the foundation and planting seeds and knowing that this child may leave your home, but your hope would be that you plant enough seeds that when those difficult times come, the foundation you helped build will sustain them,” Watson said.
Trying to solve the shortage
Dennis said to combat these needs, DCBS is bringing awareness to the shortage and reaching out to the community and its partners — like faith-based organizations. She said each placement is going to be different, but fostering can be “life-changing.”
“You get to open up your heart. You get to open up your home. You get to love on a child who at that particular time needs it most. [You get to] be a part of their story, be a part of their success and be a part of helping them reach their full human potential,” Dennis said.
Dennis said the state has also streamlined the process for relatives providing kinship care to reduce the shortage of foster parents. She said a relative goes through the same process as a regular foster parent, but they have waived the non-safety guidelines to give kids an out-of-placement home and to keep kids in their families.
She said there are resources for foster parents, and their team tries to support the foster families at all times, whether that’s setting up medical appointments, enrolling the child in school or answering questions about the judicial process.
“We really want to make sure our foster parents feel included, part of the team and have the support they need to care for Kentucky’s children,” Dennis said.
Both Dennis and Watson encourage those interested in fostering to reach out to DCBS; however, they understand that fostering might not be for everyone.
“Being a foster parent is a calling for sure. Caring for a child is not. What I mean by that is, we can’t all foster, but we can all do something,” Watson said.
Watson currently works at the Lexington Leadership Foundation as the director of unity and action, where he helps try to fix the foster care system in Lexington, using collaboration and unity among everyone to support the child welfare system.
“Businesses can support foster families. Churches can support foster families. It doesn’t always mean opening your home, but it could mean providing supportive services.” Watson said. “We all have a place to play in this redemptive space of child welfare. If we’re able to do that collectively, then we build an ecosystem that doesn’t just support and champion our kids, but it champions our families.”