VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — It's a sad reality: Children are staying in offices and hotels because there is a critical need for foster families.
Foster care directors tell 13News Now it's happening right here in Hampton Roads and they are desperate to find people to open up their hearts and homes.
United Methodist Family Services (UMFS) Director Jewel Cooper said the agency gets call after call to find an open home for a child in need.
“We get four or five calls on a daily basis and not only are they reaching out to us, they are reaching out to other licensed child placement agencies as well," Cooper said. "But we get calls on a daily basis and oftentimes, we don’t have families for all the children that are referred because, of course, we are looking at the strength of the families that we have approved."
Cooper said they have a location in Virginia Beach. The agency has seen a 40% decline in foster parent inquiries over the last two years and hasn’t approved many families over the last six months.
"Our goal is to have 12 and at this point, we have only approved, I think two, which has not been our experience in the past," Cooper said.
Officials with UMFS and other agencies in the area, like Embrace Treatment Foster Care, said they need most help for children ages 10 and above.
“There is literally no place for them to go," said Ronnie Gehring, the executive director at the Embrace location in Norfolk. He said the problem is statewide.
"I can’t tell you the number of kids that are spending the night in offices or hotels because there are no families to take them," Gehring said. "Even before Christmas, I was contacted about a kid who had been at the office for three days and was potentially going to be spending Christmas at a DSS office.
Cooper said her agency does provide foster families with training and 24-hour on-call services, while the state gives parents a monthly stipend.
"It is based on the child’s age and what their needs are so you do not have to come out of your pocket for all of the expense," Cooper said.
She said fostering is a rewarding experience that keeps on giving.
“Just think about the fact that you are going to create some stability for a child that has had some trauma," Cooper said. "If you can create some stability, then you are creating a possibility for that child to grow and nurture and prosper and be a contributing member of society.”
UMFS and Embrace Treatment Foster Care offer virtual information sessions for anyone interested in becoming a foster parent.