Local DFCS works to raise awareness of fostering teens
There are currently 120 children in foster care in Gordon County. For children in foster care, it is crucial to have a safe home to go to, and at this time in Gordon County, there are only 28 foster care homes. Of those 120 children, 17 are teenagers and only seven of those teens are placed in Gordon County, in either a foster home or with relatives.
During the month of March, Gordon County Department of Family and Children Services has worked to raise awareness on the need to foster teenagers. Garrett Pierce, the Resource Development Case Manager for Gordon County DFCS, said that the public has misconceptions about teenagers in the foster care system.
“There is a stigma attached to teenagers,” said Pierce. “A lot of people believe that teens have more behavioral issues, but we don’t see that. There are some kids that have behavioral issues, but it’s not stacked to the teenagers.”
Due to the misconceptions, there is a need for foster homes accepting teens in Gordon County. “Right now we have 28 foster homes in Gordon County, and only three of them take teens,” said Pierce. “So, when that happens and teens do come into care, if those three homes are full, we do have to look at other counties and the group homes that are nearby. There are no group homes in Gordon County so we have to send the teens to Rome, Dalton or Cartersville.”
Allison Sollicito and her husband have a blended family of six children; three in the home in middle and high school, one in college and two adults who are out on their own. They also currently foster Lily, a teenage friend of one of their high school children, and three other foster children.
The Sollicitos began fostering Lily a little over a year ago, and on Thursday, March 23, made the stay permanent by adopting her.
Lily was a school friend of the Sollicito’s daughter. Lily had previously lived with a relative; when that ended, she lived in a group home out of county.
“We had considered fostering for quite a few years,” said Sollicito. “My sister- in- law was actually a foster parent, so we started thinking about it when she first got into fostering. We prayed about it for years. When Lily was without a home, and she was in a group home, that’s when we decided it was time to open up our home to become foster parents.”
Sollicito said there are differences in fostering teens, but the differences are very positive. “Being older is a little bit different than ( fostering) the younger children,” said Sollicito. “They know a lot more. With our situation, Lily thrives for the home. She wants to do better for herself, because she realizes what she’s been through and she does not want that, and she wants to make us proud.”
Teens are also more sociable and active, according to Sollicito. “With Lily, she does basketball and softball. She has other different things she wants to do, especially doing well in school. She’s an A/ B student, but she wants to do even better, so we take her to tutoring because she asked to go.”
Sollicito said that in her case, her teen foster is very appreciative and, coming from the situation she has into a loving family, she wants to overcome what she’s been through. Sollicito feels her number one priority is to make sure that happens. “That’s with all teen foster children. If they want to do better, help them to do better,” said Sollicito. “Help them to be whatever they want to be, because you’re looking at kids that are in the system and they are part of our community’s future.
Lily has big plans for her future now, and Sollicito is going to help her achieve them. “We’ve talked about college, and she was talking about what she wants to do at when she’s older. She said, ‘ I want to be a case worker, because I want to help children that’s been in the same situation I’ve been in, and help them to overcome the situation they come from’.”
Fostering is rewarding, especially fostering teens, but it is not a part- time job. “You have to help them thrive,” said Sollicito. “You can’t be a foster parent and just sit on the couch all week. You have got to keep the kids active. And teens need more love. They thrive for love, they thrive for support, they thrive for attention. For any of the kids in my home, be it my foster children or my children, I tell them daily how proud I am of them and how much I love them. Love is a word that is said 10 times a day, if not more, because they need that; they need to know that they are loved. It doesn’t matter if you have a kid in your house for one day. They need to know that they are loved.”
While fostering a teen has led to a positive experience for Sollicito and a permanent home for Lily, there are still teens in need of stability. “We are in need of foster families for teens,” said Pierce. “We are generally able to keep a lot of our kids in or close to Gordon County, but teens are a lot harder. We have teens all over in the group homes in North Georgia. Our first choice is to always place our kids in a family style home. The group homes are good to our kids, but it’s not a family- style situation for them.”
For those interesting in fostering, the process has been streamlined in recent years, being simplified to where there is a 90 day turnaround from the time a potential foster parent being Impact Classes, which are foster parent certification classes, to actually opening a home for fostering.
The process of becoming a foster parent is not as daunting as it has been in the past; the process begins with a home visit and complete screenings of the potential foster family. Once screenings are completed, approximately 4- 6 Impact Classes are needed, along with a home study. The Impact Classes involves CPR certification, and presentations on topics such as foster care and family preservation.
An inquiry line is available for anyone interested in fostering or adopting at 877- 210- KIDS ( 5437). “This allows you to put your contact information into the DFCS system, assigns a caseworker and starts the process,” said Pierce. You can also obtain more information by emailing Pierce at Garrett. Pierce@ dhs. ga. gov, or calling 706- 624- 1252.