CINCINNATI — October marks "Foster Youth Voice Month," and advocates are working to raise awareness and recruit as some agencies in the Tri-State experience a record low number of foster parents.
According to state data and nonprofits, there are more than 16,000 children in foster care in Ohio. In Kentucky, there are around 8,600, and in Indiana, there are about 7,900.
We spoke with local organizations that work with foster kids regularly, and they told us foster kids just want love and stability.
“They want love, you know, they want someone who’s gonna be there for them,” said Nick Diamon, the licensing specialist for StepStone Family & Youth Services in Florence.
Karl Homsey, the community outreach and engagement supervisor at Beech Acres Parenting Center, said, “These kids are just looking for stability.”
However, in the Tri-State, that task is proving to be difficult.
“Beech Acres, like a lot of local agencies, are seeing recent historic lows of people being interested in being foster parents,” Homsey said.
WATCH: Diamon and Homsey tell us what they hear from children in foster care
StepStone Family & Youth Services told us they only have 35 foster homes in the area.
“Every day, I would say on average I get about 15 to 20 referrals, just of kids who need care, but all of our homes are filled,” said Joi Barnes, StepStone’s program director.
Barnes said that, due to the lack of foster parents, they often have to turn kids away, which usually means sending them to group homes.
That’s why they’re advocating for more people to open their hearts and homes to foster children.
“They also say it can be very challenging, but the most rewarding thing they’ve ever done,” Diamon said.
While all types of foster parents are needed and wanted, there is especially a need for parents who are Spanish-speaking, LGBTQ+, Black and those who are willing to accept teens.
If you wish to become a foster parent or want to learn more about foster parenting, you can find more information on Beech Acres' website or StepStone's website.
