Letter to the Editor: the need is there

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
Do you know that there is a great need for foster/adoptive families in our community?
I have been involved in foster care for 10 years in Price and there has always been a shortage of homes for local children in care. People may think that there are plenty of foster/adoptive parents in the area and that the need is being met. The truth is, there are only 30 foster/adoptive homes for children living both in Carbon and Emery counties.
There are a limited number of foster/adoptive families for a variety of reasons. Some foster parents provide care for a long period of time and become a resource to the children in need for several years. Circumstances arise in their lives that take them away from fostering. Some families provide permanency for the children through adoption. Therefore, their home may be full or they have as many children as they feel they can manage effectively.
You may think that your life is busy and you do not have the time to be a foster/adoptive parent. Maybe you have biological children. Maybe you are unsure about the requirements.
For as many reasons as you can think of not fostering, there are more reasons to become a foster/adoptive parent. Everyday, there are children in our area being neglected and/or abused. We all hear about it and know it happens. Unfortunately, many of us do not want to consider this as a reality. When children are in this unfortunate situation, and become separated from their families, they need a place to go. Without local foster homes, they are moved to other areas of the state. They have to leave their friends at school and in the community. They lose their support system from neighbors, church members, teachers etc.
These children are currently attending school, basketball, dance, church and other community events with your own children or grandchildren. They have the same needs, wants, and desires that your children do. The greatest need is for families willing to keep brothers and sisters together, and to care for children of all ages.
The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing. These children need nurturing and loving families to help them through life’s difficult times. Just think of the impact you could have on a child in need. I believe that you and your family will be blessed as much as the child you care for.
So I would like you to ask yourself this. Are the reasons for not becoming a foster/adoptive family more valid than the reasons you should consider it? The fact is you can make a difference in the life of a child and a family in our community.