Ep 47: Utah’s Foster Parent Shortage

Wouldn’t it be great to see foster homes waiting for children, rather than children waiting for homes? Unfortunately, Utah is nowhere near having enough homes, especially those to support kids with special needs. This month is National Foster Care Month, and we talk to two leaders in our state’s foster care community about our shortage of foster parents in Utah. Check out our Upcoming Events! Episode Summary: This episode of the podcast discusses the decline in the number of foster parents in Utah and the nationwide trend. The conversation highlights the importance of foster care and how the shortage of foster families impacts the system’s ability to care for children in need. The Problem: The episode opens with Liz, the show host, mentioning a nationwide trend of a decline in families coming forward to foster children. Tonya, the Director at Utah’s Child and Family Services, confirms this trend and adds that the number of foster parents in Utah has been going down since 2022. They discuss the fact that while they expected a decrease at the beginning of the pandemic, the opposite happened. The number of families coming forward to foster actually increased during the first year or two of the pandemic. The Importance of Foster Care: The conversation then shifts to the importance of foster care. Tonya emphasizes that the goal of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) is always to keep children safe, ideally at home with their families. When that’s not possible, the focus is on finding a safe and kin-based placement for the child. Kin-based placement refers to placing the child with relatives whenever possible. However, when there are no relatives available, having a sufficient pool of foster families becomes crucial. How You Can Help: Considering becoming a foster parent: Fill out the form below for more information on becoming a foster parent. Volunteering: Check out our volunteer page for upcoming events. Donating to Utah Foster Care: Financial contributions can help support foster families and child welfare organizations. Call to Action: Consider getting involved in foster care, whether that means becoming a foster parent or donating time or money to support the children in care. Episode Transcript Want to learn more about becoming a Foster Parent?