SCDSS Recognizes Foster Care Awareness Month

SCDSS Recognizes Foster Care Awareness Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE803-898-7602[email protected]

SCDSS Recognizes Foster Care Awareness Month

May 1, 2024 -The South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) recognizes May as Foster Care Awareness Month to highlight the important role that foster parents, kinship caregivers, child placing agencies and supporting non-profits play in working together with families to achieve reunification for children and youth in foster care. The collaborative efforts, as part of the larger child and family well-being community, are essential in helping to strengthen families in South Carolina.

This year's National Foster Care Awareness Month theme as determined by the Children's Bureau is "Engaging Youth: Building Supports. Strengthening Opportunities." This year's theme highlights the need to create a child welfare system that authentically engages and supports young people who are preparing to leave foster care.

When children and youth cannot remain safely in their own home, foster parents provide a safe, nurturing environment while in foster care. As of May 1, the online SCDSS Foster Care Dashboard shows there are 3,413 children and youth currently in foster care in South Carolina.

"Often times children and youth age out of foster care without the support and resources to help them become successful adults," said Michael Leach, DSS State Director. "It's important to engage with youth in planning for their future to help them leave care with lasting relationships, meaningful supports, and greater opportunities so they can have the best outcome and live their lives without limits."

South Carolina needs additional family-like homes so that whenever possible children and youth can remain in their home communities, sibling groups can stay together, and teens can be cared for in the home of a loving family. SCDSS continues to recruit foster parents year-round, not just in May, as the needs for the agency and the children and youth in foster care constantly change.

To become a foster parent or to learn more about ways to support foster parents in your community, visit https://heartfeltcalling.org or call (888) 828-3555. You can also learn more by texting "DSS" to 211211.

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Editor's Note: If a news outlet wishes to interview a foster parent in conjunction with Foster Care Awareness Month, DSS will try and help accommodate that request. Please email [email protected] with your request and your deadline and every attempt will be made to locate a foster parent willing to participate.

DSS appreciates news outlets including contact information on how to become a foster parent in all articles and stories as Foster Care Awareness Month serves as an important tool in recruiting foster parents and families to serve children and youth in South Carolina. The greatest need for foster parents in South Carolina continues to be homes willing to serve older youth and teens, ages 10-17, sibling groups and children with complex medical or therapeutic needs.

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