If the Coronavirus has taught us anything it’s that deep down, we are social creatures who thrive best in the company of others with whom we feel safe. Foster kids, many of whom have known nothing in their lives except uncertainty, turmoil, and change have been hit especially hard by the measures our society has had to take to combat the pandemic. Let’s explore the world of foster care and the coronavirus crisis.
Foster children, like the rest of us, want to be held close and reassured by their loved ones. For them, many old feelings of loneliness, isolation, and emotional trauma have been rekindled while in “shelter-in-place” away from their friends and families. So, while the COVID-19 illness itself has largely spared the younger population, it’s effects are no less devastating.
Since social distancing and shelter-in-place orders have been implemented nationwide, there has been:
- A 600% increase in calls to suicide hotlines.
- A significant decrease in calls to child abuse prevention hotlines due to the children being away from “mandatory reporters” like teachers and church youth workers.
- A decrease in the amount of available out-of-home placements for foster kids due to a large segment of foster parents being of retirement age and at higher risk for infection.
- A decrease in the amount of available out of home placements for foster kids due to qualified foster parents experiencing their own domestic issues related to the quarantine.
- An increase in children needing to be moved out of foster placements due to behavioral issues.
While foster kids are navigating new crises in their lives during this time, they don’t have to become the next casualties of Coronavirus. We can do something about it! If you’ve been on the fence about becoming a foster parent, the time is now. And the best part is, you won’t do it alone. We at Agape Adoption Agency of Arizona can not only provide you with a pathway to become the hero these children need, but we will also walk with you every step of the way.
Times like these call for greatness. We see that greatness in you!
Thanks for taking the time to read our post on foster care and the Coronavirus crisis. If you want to learn more about what it means to be a foster hero, visit us at www.agapeaz.org/arizona-foster-care-agency.
