Rhode Island needs more foster homes and it needs them now

Children who are unable to live with their families learn valuable life skills from trained caregivers while living in a single-family home on the Bazarsky campus of Boys Town New England in Portsmouth. (Courtesy of Boys Town New England)

There are nearly 1,000 children in the Rhode Island foster system today, according to the latest figures from the Department of Children, Youth and Families. However, there are just 828 active foster homes available to them.

That means that some of these children are forced to stay in group homes, hospitals, and other institutional settings. These young people have no choice in the matter and are stripped of the sovereignty that comes with control. No matter the circumstances, being removed from your home, and separated from your loved ones is a traumatic and life altering event. Finding safe, lasting, residential options for these vulnerable children is crucial to their wellbeing.

Throughout the legislative session that came to an end in June, I worked alongside my colleagues in the child welfare space to engage with the community and raise awareness over the need for foster families. Whether it was advocating to state legislators or collaborating with local leaders, we joined together dedicated to a mission bigger than ourselves on behalf of the children of Rhode Island.

It’s why I am filled with hope and optimism about the future of foster care in Rhode Island.

Boys Town New England has facilitated foster care services for three decades. In that time, we’ve integrated into communities across the region, bringing evidence-based programming where it’s needed the most. What differentiates our services is the individualized support and training for families and children alike. We developed an evidence-based  program and work collaboratively to change behavior and teach emotional regulation. All of our foster parents receive intensive training and are provided with 24-hour on-call support. We also encourage stability, connection, and healing through regular in-home consultation, clinical support, access to ongoing training, licensing support, and opportunities for children and families to connect with one another.

No matter the circumstances, being removed from your home, and separated from your loved ones is a traumatic and life altering event. Finding safe, lasting, residential options for these vulnerable children is crucial to their wellbeing.

Boys Town also provides an innovative “Teaching Family Home” model on our Bazarsky Campus in Portsmouth. There, we provide high quality residential care for children, ages 12 through 17, who can no longer live in their homes. Up to six boys or girls live in each single-family home with trained caregivers called “family-teachers,” who meet their daily needs and teach valuable life skills. This evidence-based family home model is the cornerstone of our proven, best practice method grounded in a continuum of care approach.

For decades, these unique services drove community involvement and helped provide loving homes for children in need. But in the wake of the pandemic, we saw the number of foster families plummet. We were not immune from this nationwide trend. As facilitators and advocates, it’s frustrating to recognize the continued need for resources, while simultaneously watching the number of foster homes decline. While providing stable, supportive foster services is vital to achieving our mission, uniting families is our top priority. Whether through kinship support or preventative programming, we strive to keep families and kids together.

We need more foster families. Every Rhode Island adult has the potential to make a positive impact on the life of a vulnerable child. Could it be you ?

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