Hundreds of children in Delaware await a permanent home every day, but a lack of available foster families from diverse backgrounds and other resources can make that difficult.
Sometimes the appropriate household for a child isn’t available.
In other instances, a child may require additional supervision or resources that available housing cannot provide.
In some cases, a foster child may refuse the placement they’re offered.
And sometimes, kids end up sleeping at Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families offices, state officials said.
Family Services Director Trenee Parker said homing children has become more challenging since the pandemic, which is why the department is increasing recruitment efforts, along with ramping up foster care awareness.
Mike Lennon teases his daughter Khloe at their home in Holly Oak, October 22, 2024. The Lennons adopted Khloe after serving as foster parents.
Foster care provides temporary care and a safe place for children who have been separated from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or dependency. The goal is to reunify the child with biological family, whether that be their parent or an extended family member or guardian.
“It does happen where we do have youth that are with us in our offices. I wish I could say that this was a Delaware-specific problem but it’s not,” Parker said. “Our goal is to never have a youth be without placement. It’s something that we are really striving for and is a goal for us for 2025.”
Which is why, on top of a goal of adding 100 foster families to the pool, the department has launched a foster care ambassador initiative, which was championed by Delaware Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, who sits as the First State’s executive leader until Gov.-elect Matt Meyer is sworn into office on Tuesday, Jan. 21, during her swearing-in speech on Jan. 7.
About 50% of children in foster care are later reunified with biological family nationwide, an average that Delaware falls short of but has improved upon recently. The First State’s reunification percentage increased from 25.1% in 2018 to 47% in 2023, according to the latest state data available. Delaware averaged an annual 35% reunification rate during that time.
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Hall-Long encouraged other Delawareans to join her in becoming a foster care ambassador, which can range from spreading awareness to organizing community events to serving as a short-term placement for foster children.
“Delaware needs good people to lend their support to the Foster Care Program, whether it is by signing up to be a foster parent, or by offering help in other ways,” she said.
Increasing foster families
State officials said last year that Delaware aimed to add 100 foster families but admittedly fell short.
Parker said they have added families but could not provide an exact number. At the same time, she said the number of foster children needing homes has not increased.
The number of children in foster care declined by 23% between 2018 and 2022, according to the latest available state data. Those in foster care were lowest during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and remain well below the 714 in foster care in 2018.
What Delaware’s foster care system really needs are foster families who look like the children they will be providing care to, can accommodate sibling placements, navigate children with intellectual or developmental delays, and provide care to those with myriad medical needs, Parker said.
Rebecca Lennon watches as her daughter Khloe plays with a favorite toy at their home in Holly Oak, October 22, 2024. The Lennons adopted Khloe after serving as foster parents.
“Now what we’re doing is reaching back out to the community and saying, if you hadn’t considered it before, now would be a really great time for you to consider it,” she said. “There is a need, and we do have a population of children who have diverse needs.”
That’s where the department’s new ambassador program can assist, Parker said, in spreading awareness and connecting foster care staff with organizations serving those diverse communities.
What is the ambassador program?
Hall-Long said she would continue to promote foster care and the ambassador initiative after she leaves the office. State officials said her involvement with diverse communities, like Latin leaders, also helps broaden connections in Delaware’s foster care system.
“Foster care has always been an important, personal issue to me – one of my life goals is to be a foster parent – which is why I wanted to call attention to this topic during my time in office,” Hall-Long said. “I’m proud to serve as the first foster care ambassador and am asking Delawareans to join me in this effort.”
The Foster Care Ambassador Initiative is designed to engage individuals who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children experiencing foster care. You can learn more by emailing DSCYF_FosterCare@delaware.gov for more information. The state department is still creating a website with more details about the program. To learn more about Delaware Foster Care, visit the state’s website.
Hall-Long stressed that being a foster care ambassador can be as simple as sharing social media posts that highlight the state’s foster care network or more involved like donating a summer camp or music lesson experience.
“No amount of support is too small,” she said. “As a mother and nurse, I hope people will make this commitment to serving our most vulnerable children and families when they need it most.”
Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-598-5507. Follow her on X at @mandy_fries.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How Delaware is increasing and diversifying foster families