Local foster families urgently needed; recruitment meeting scheduled for March 2

The numbers don’t lie, and, for many, they just don’t add up.

Currently, there are approximately 70 Stephens County children in foster care – but only 11 of those children are currently living in Stephens County. 

According to Chris Sprowls, Director of the Stephens County office of the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services, or DFCS, there is a need for new local foster homes so that fewer local children are placed in foster homes hours away from everything they are familiar with, and hours away from the support network in place to assist them. 

Experience has shown that, when children are placed outside the area where they lived before being placed into foster care, it makes reunification with parents more difficult, and it is more difficult for DFCS oversight and partnering support from attorneys, CASA and other organizations.

Rebecca Davidson, who heads regional roster recruitment efforts, retention of foster homes is higher when foster families feel supported, not only by DFCS, but by the community. 

In addition to support from churches, community members in general can help foster families by offering simple gifts of time and effort, such as preparing a meal, helping with laundry, or providing childcare for a parent night out.

Davidson talked about the need for foster families for the large number of cases that are not always easy placements.

She added that the goal of the foster program is not always what people assume.

 

A Foster Parent Recruitment Meeting has been scheduled for March 2, from 10 a.m. until noon, at First Baptist Church, 475 E Tugalo Street Toccoa.  Refreshments and childcare will be provided. This will be an informational meeting, and several organizations will be represented that offer training for foster parents.  

Any churches who would like to appoint an advocate or group of advocates to be involved with a community support group for foster parents should contact Jeffers.

For more information, contact Sprowls at [email protected], Davidson at [email protected],  Melissa Mitchell with CASA at [email protected], or Jeffers at [email protected].

Also, Sprowls advised WNEG News that an opening date for Stephens County’s new Georgia Department of Human Services and DFCS location at the corner of Big A Road and Oak Valley Road has not yet been set, but should be scheduled soon.