National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month occurs each May. This month provides an opportunity to focus attention on the year-round needs of American children and youth in foster care. National Foster Care Month raises awareness about foster care. It also encourages many more citizens to get involved in the lives of these youth. This includes as foster parents, volunteers, mentors, employers or in other ways. Wear blue for National Foster Care Month.

In May, we all get the opportunity to collectively acknowledge former and current youth in the foster care system. The official symbol of Foster Care Awareness Month is a blue ribbon. This blue ribbon raises awareness and acknowledges the over 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. We are recognizing more than numbers. We are identifying experiences and acknowledging the children who want forever homes. To help raise awareness, wear a blue enamel awareness ribbon pin, blue fabric ribbon, or blue silicone awareness wristband bracelet.

Wear lavender and white for Beta Foster Care, in particular. Personalized Cause supports this organization and offers lavender and white personalized and non-personalized pins to raise awareness for this organization.

Goals of Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month goals are to raise awareness about the magnitude of the issue. You can do this by wearing the blue ribbon.

Firstly, it calls attention to the urgent and sustaining needs of children and older youth in foster care and their families. Secondly, it calls attention to a national call-to-action that encourages many more Americans to come forward to change a lifetime for a young person in foster care. Thirdly, it develop a positive framework for maintaining visibility and interest in foster care. This interest supports the year-round efforts of organizations and other child welfare agencies.

Make a Blue Ribbon wall to serve as a visual reminder on behalf of these children and families who need it most. Sharing these walls on social media can serve as a huge inspiration to foster families and their children. It is also a great way to engage your group, whether it be at the office, at home or school.

Supporting Youth

National Foster Care Month also provides an opportunity for acknowledging the thousands of dedicated foster families and other caring individuals and organizations who are already supporting these young people.

Key Facts and Statistics

• Include these key points in your messaging to demonstrate the importance of prioritizing conversations about the mental health needs of children and youth in foster care and their caregivers.

The Intersection of Mental Health and Foster Care

Foster Care Awareness and Mental Health Awareness share national recognition during the month of May. This shared focus highlights the importance of checking in with others and yourself. Foster Care Awareness and Mental Health Awareness share more than just a month of recognition and are substantially interconnected. It is imperative to prioritize the mental health of youth currently in and aged out of foster care. There is a direct correlation between trauma experienced in child welfare to involvement in the juvenile justice system. For marginalized youth who transition out of foster care these are compounding challenges in navigating psychological and cultural dynamics. The changes of early adulthood have a critical impact on their mental and emotional capacity. To be in foster care is to have a deep understanding of trauma.

What Does “Aging Out” look like?

An important experience is that of youth aging out of the foster care system. The transition to adulthood is heavy, with the youth in foster care potentially experiencing multiple different foster homes before turning 18. These disruptions reflect missed opportunities to maintain healthy relationships, and lessen the feelings of abandonment and distrust. These missed opportunities contribute to youth entering adulthood and exiting programs without guidance or a support system to successfully transition. Lack of support often leaves foster youth more vulnerable to homelessness. The National Foster Care Institute has identified that one in five youth exiting foster care at 18 will experience homelessness, with 50% of the nation’s homeless population being former youth in foster care.

Research by Chapin Hall at the University Chicago has shown that a way to prevent some of these outcomes is for youth to be able to be a part of extended care. Youth in extended care are more likely to continue education, and increase their financial earnings. Simultaneously youth in extended care are less likely to experience food insecurities, homelessness, and arrest. The value of extended care is evident, and the frequency of change in living arrangements and the trauma of fractured family relationships continues to significantly impact youth mental wellness.

How to Support Former and Current Youth in Foster Care

LGBTQ, BIPOC, and people with disabilities who aged out or currently in foster care are systemically at a greater disadvantage to educational progress as a result of the lack of stability. In general, youth who are displaced are more likely to face limited access and insecurity in housing, food, and health care. Thankfully many organizations and programs are actively working to support former and current youth in foster care to overcome these adversities.

There are living assistance programs called Transitional Housing Program (THP) – Plus,  that assists aging out youth. THP-Plus typically supports youth from ages 18-24, creating opportunities for stability by providing young adults with a team of therapists and case managers to help support them. Social workers, non-profits, and organizations provide collaborative interactions or relationships to implement youth with assistance and support. An example is Chapin Hall, who conducts research on how Child Welfare systems work and impact youth. They recently published the article: Supporting Transition-Age Youth through the Federal Chafee Program about this issue.

Tied to Change

I would like to return to the blue ribbon, whose origins are shaped from the customary use of ribbons as decorative tying. We encourage you to tie yourself to one of the many ways to participate in National Foster Care Awareness Month. The Children’s Bureau has highlighted many ways for you to Get Involved.

Advocate for foster care programs that are working to make a positive impact on the child welfare system.

Amplify the conversation by talking to friends and spreading the word. Share information via social media, email, and at work and school.

Volunteer and support the system by getting involved with foster youth organizations and programs in your community! Offer volunteer help or encouragement to the social workers, foster families, and agency staff.