Posted on May 20, 2024
New Fairfield, Conn. – May is National Foster Care Month. The Town of New Fairfield hosted an event Sunday, May 19 to raise awareness about the significant need for foster parents in Connecticut. The Annie C Courtney Foundation, the CT Department of Children and Families, and a local foster parent shared information about the supports available to guide residents on becoming a foster parent. State Representative Patrick Callahan was among the featured speakers.
“I know the importance of a safe, secure home from my time as Chief of Probation for this part of CT. I wrote pre-sentence investigations (PSIs), the story of a person’s life, to present to a judge. That first paragraph tells a story of their home life. If you don’t have a stable home life, as people always say you, need a stable foundation to build a building. These foster families give people a foundation to maybe not end up in a bad place and a life going through the judicial system. From my prior career perspective, I’m interested in this if we can tackle the problem at a young age and make sure kids know they have a safe and secure home, they won’t end up in the court system and a statistic in the first paragraph of a PSI,” said Callahan.
Currently, Connecticut has approximately 3,100 children in foster care, and about 2,000 families fostering children. This includes a significant number of grandparents and other relatives caring for children in their extended families.
DCF notes that extensive training is provided, there are local support groups, and HUSKY healthcare coverage for all children. If needed, respite care is available to foster families when fostering a child for longer durations. Under DCF, the goal for most of these children is family reunification. The commitment may be as short as a week or a month, or over a year.
Adoption may occur for a small number of children for whom reunification is not possible.
Annie C provides support through trainings, support groups, referral services, and recruitment of families for children who need them. Their goal is to develop a purposeful, intergenerational neighborhood where young adults and seniors live side by side and engage in mutual support; ensuring that these same individuals will develop healthy, caring relationships.
More information about the Annie C Courtney Foundation can be found here.
Information from DCF about foster care in Connecticut can be found here.