First of all, thank you so much for becoming a licensed foster family! We know the licensing process takes time, commitment, and a lot of heart. You’ve prepared bedrooms, rearranged schedules, and opened your home, all in anticipation of the day a child or sibling group walks through your door. So, when the phone doesn’t ring, it’s only natural to wonder, “Do they not need us?”
Please know, you are needed and haven’t been forgotten. In fact, your willingness to wait is part of something really special and important that’s happening in our community.
The vision is to create a network of families spread throughout every neighborhood. Families who are ready when a child needs a safe place to land. This shift means that instead of kids sitting in the DHW office waiting for a home, there will be families like yours already prepared and nearby, ready to welcome them.
As this vision grows, the result will be fewer children waiting and more stability from the very start, kids staying closer to their schools, friends, and familiar surroundings. This is so incredibly important for children and teens. Stability in these areas provides a sense of safety and belonging during a time of uncertainty and change. Staying connected to their teachers, classmates, friends, and community helps children and teens maintain routines and relationships that support their emotional well-being. It also allows parents who are working hard to reunify with their children to stay involved with visits more easily. Keeping children and teens close to home not only eases their transition into foster care but also strengthens the foundation for successful family reunification.
So, if your phone hasn’t rung lately, take heart. Your “yes” matters deeply. You are part of a bigger picture, one where the waiting happens with you, before a child needs care, not after.
In the meantime, stay connected! Attend support groups, foster community events, and trainings. Let us get to know your family, while you build your foster care support village and toolbox.
Thank you for saying yes, for being patient, and for being part of a community that’s changing the story for children and teens in foster care, one safe home at a time.
Written by Kristy Granden, Regional Coordinator, Region 3
