Suggestions that could help improve our foster care system

The past several years have seen the foster care system in crisis in Georgia and the U.S., due much in part to the opioid epidemic and the placement of more kids in foster care. Here are some ways to fix foster care.

■ Kinship care

Kinship foster care is an outof-home arrangement for fulltime care by relatives and sometimes even older siblings. Kinship care allows families to stay together, and studies indicate it helps improve mental health, stability and behavior.

■ Education and advocacy Perhaps the biggest impact one can make is to become an advocate of change. Contact lawmakers and politicians and bring attention to the needs of children in care.

■ Rules, policies and paperwork

There needs to be less paperwork, less “red tape” and more action on behalf of the child.

■ Therapy

Children in foster care, in many cases, do not receive adequate services in regard to mental health and developmental issues and will not likely do so in the near future, due to lack of government funding and resources. Professional therapy and counseling is essential for the well-being of the child.

■ Become a foster parent With roughly 500,000 children in foster care in the U.S. alone, the need is strong for good foster homes and foster parents.

■ Bring resources around schools

Children in foster care face a great many challenges in the school system. More reform needs to be placed upon children in foster care while in school.

■ Helping those who age out Each year, around 20,000 foster children age out of the system and attempt to begin life on their own. For many, foster care is a temporary service before returning home to a parent, moving in with a biological family member, or even beginning a new life in an adopted home.

■ Mentoring

Mentoring will allow current and former foster children not only a listening ear as they discuss challenges, but wisdom and guidance during times of struggle.

■ Post-reunification support The end goal of foster care is reunification, when the child is reunified with birth parents and/or biological family. Birth parents and biological family members must receive ongoing support from child welfare agencies in order to prevent re-entry.

■ Co-parenting

When a foster parent shares the nurturing of a foster child alongside the birth parents and caseworker, reunification tends to happen at a quicker and more successful rate.

■ Child sex trafficking Commercial acts of sex are being forced upon children as young as 10 years of age. More advocates are needed to bring an end to a form of modern-day slavery.

■ Help for foster parents Foster parents often do not have all the resources or time they need to best help children they are caring for. More training, understanding, support and time to heal from grief, loss and burnout is needed.

■ Faith-based help Faith-based groups can provide a safe, consistent, warm and inviting atmosphere for children and birth family members to meet during visitation sessions.

■ CASA programs

CASAs, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are volunteers who work with children in foster care as they advocate for their best interests in courtrooms and communities.

■ Relief for caseworkers Our caseworkers need to be given more time, more funding, more resources and more understanding from the public, courts and foster parents.