May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, which recognizes the important role that people from all parts of child welfare play in supporting children, youth, and families. 

Recruiting and Retention Coordinator at Four Oaks Family Connections Lindsey Phillips says that with extra awareness brought to foster care this month, Four Oaks uses it as a way to share the needs for families across the state. Phillips adds that their goal with foster care is to keep children within the community they live in.

“Nobody wants to not only be removed from a family member, but also be removed from the community that they know. So, we need homes that can take those children in, but those homes can be single families, they can be married, they can be spouses living together in whatever concept that may be. But it’s all walks of life, people that live in apartments, homes, townhomes, all those things can be foster parents, you just need to be able to provide the space and then just a few of those added pieces to the onboarding process that you would need to have to become a foster parent.”

Hear more about National Foster Care Awareness Month from Lindsey Phillips on today’s In Touch with South Central Iowa.