Over 117,000 children and youth across the country are in foster care waiting for a forever family. Many are teenagers at risk of aging out of foster care without permanent family connections.
In 2020, more than 20 percent of those waiting to be adopted were teens, yet only 5 percent of those adopted were 15-18 years old.1
Sadly, teens in foster care have an increased risk of homelessness and being victimized by human trafficking compared with younger children.
This November, during National Adoption Month, the Children’s Bureau within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asks us to focus on how Small Steps Open Doors for youth along their journey to permanency.
Supporting these at-risk youth doesn’t require a degree in social work or other formal training. There are many ways to invest your time and skills to raise awareness and advocate on behalf of waiting children.
Here are five “small steps” to consider:
Become a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer
As a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer, you’re empowered by the courts to advocate on behalf of a child in foster care. You don’t have to be a lawyer or social worker.
The work done by CASA volunteers involves gathering information from everyone in a child’s life, including parents, relatives, foster parents, teachers, medical professionals, attorneys, social workers, and others. This information will then be used to inform judges of what the child needs and what will be the best permanent home for them.
To be a CASA volunteer, you simply need to:
- Pass a background check
- Participate in a 30-hour pre-service training course
- Stay with a case until it’s closed (approximately 1.5 years on average)
- The National CASA Association has more information on becoming a CASA volunteer.
Mentor a child in foster care
Becoming a mentor or tutor for a child in foster care is a great way to make the difference of a lifetime for children in need of permanency. There are lots of different ways to mentor children of all ages.
- Help a teen in foster care succeed in college through Foster Care to Success.
- Volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
- Find mentoring opportunities in your area by using the National Foster Care and Adoption Directory to contact a local agency.
Offer free photography and videography services to adoption agencies
If a picture is worth a thousand words, your photography and videography talents are a priceless gift that can go a long way toward helping children in foster care. Adoption agencies around the country are in need of high quality photos and videos of children that can be shared with prospective families.
Use the National Foster Care and Adoption Directory to find agencies that could benefit from your services. You can also connect with the Heart Gallery of America program, which organizes expos and galas with framed portraits of children available for adoption.
Become a respite care provider
Respite care workers provide parents and other caregivers with short-term childcare services that offer temporary relief, improve family stability, and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect. Respite can be planned or offered during emergencies or times of crisis. Respite may be available to foster, kinship, adoptive, and birth families in need of support.
Talk with your caseworker to connect you with information on how to become a respite care provider.
Fundraise or donate supplies to foster care organizations
Many children in foster care have very little to call their own. Everything from back-to-school supplies, toys, and suitcases are needed by foster care organizations around the country. Whatever you can do will go a long way, whether it’s donating money or supplies directly to Agape or another organization or organizing a fundraising or donation drive.
1Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System fiscal year 2020 report.
