LOUISVILLE, Ky. — New national and local data paints a detailed picture of the challenges facing the foster care system, as well as how it's improved.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation released the data Monday. It examined kids aged 14 to 21, or 'transition age youth.'
The report shows Kentucky lagging behind the national average in some areas but surpassing the average in others.
Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, said he loves the report is more than a quick snapshot, but rather a 15-year look into the changes within the foster care system.
One positive factor that stands out, Brooks said, is how kinship care has nearly doubled over the course of the study. That's when a family member takes custody of a child who can no longer be with their parents.
“We see that as a really positive and important alternative for kids,” he said.
However, with 11% of foster kids in kinship care, Kentucky still falls far from the national average of kinship care which is at 22%
Additionally, Brooks said no one can look at this report and not feel a call to equity action.
“What we see is that kids of color, experience multiple placements," he said. "[Sometimes] more than four different placements at a far higher rate than do white kids."
And as foster kids transition to independent living, Brooks said there has been some success, but about a third of them, roughly 64%, aren't leaving with stable housing. It's a cause for concern, he added.
“For instance, 90% of kids in Kentucky, who are exiting the system report that they have life skill training,” Brooks said. “That's really good and significantly better than the national standard for that. And yet, what we also see is that only 14% give evidence that they've received help when it comes to room and board. If we shortchange them, now, we're going to be spending money on them, but it's going to be spending money in the justice system in the health care system. So, we can invest now, or we will be investing later.”
Deno Shaw said fostering was the best decision he could have made when he was 21 years old. He's now 50.
Shaw said his wife, Celida, talked him into fostering.
“It's funny how life is because I really did not want to do it,” he said. “I don't do it for anything but to help, but when you hear people talking about how you helped them, it just kind of does something to you.”
Shaw said he still has a very close-knit relationship with all his foster children, and the couple even adopted three of them.
He said fostering has come with its challenges, including mentoring young people who were involved in criminal activity.
“Some of them come they got this street life - gangs, stealing cars, stuff like that,” Shaw said. “If they can come into my house, and I can show them a better way to get them out of all that, that's what I'm shooting for. And most of the time, I'm having some pretty good luck.”
Shaw said success comes from compassion and understanding, and in honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, Shaw hopes others will consider filling the void.
“Take a child. Give them a chance, and let them see what family is,” he said. “The reward you get after that, you will have it the rest of your life. You will always remember that feeling.”
Brooks said short staffing is another major problem facing the foster care system. He said he’s confident the problems will be solved in Frankfort in 2024, an upcoming budget year.
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