1014 children came in to foster care in May, 2017 – that’s an average of almost 33 children a day, every day. What happens next? Kris Jacober and other child welfare advocates have recently been asked about the topic in a feature series published by Raising Arizona Kids Magazine called Arizona’s Children.
In “ARIZONA’S CHILDREN: In foster families, love transforms”, Jacober explains the process by which a child comes in to foster care. First, a call comes in to the Child Abuse Hotline. A DCS investigator is dispatched to investigate the report, and after reviewing whether the reported child is ‘safe,’ may or may not remove the child or children from their home. If the child is removed, DCS reaches out to family members who may be able to provide care. If none are available, DCS contacts licensed foster families. Meanwhile, children are placed in an emergency shelter or group home.
Children often remain “in limbo” until it is determined whether or not they can be returned to their families. According to Jacober, “Reunification is always the end goal.” Until that happens, biological families are provided with counseling and other services and are normally granted visitation. Due to the sheer number of kids in foster care, some kids are in the system for months or even years at a time.
Read the full article ARIZONA’S CHILDREN: In foster families, love transforms to learn more about what Kris Jacober, AFFCF, and others are doing to help enrich the lives of children in foster care.
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