Children’s Friend hosted an appreciation dinner for our foster parents on May 24th to celebrate the individuals and families who live out our mission on a daily basis.

In 2009, Rhode Island saw a climb of 15.3% of children under the age of 1 who experienced maltreatment, up from 12% in 2006. Children age 6 and under account for 57.3% of victims of maltreatment. When families come to Children’s Friend to become a foster family, they are willing to provide a safe, temporary, and nurturing home for children. They also become part of a team which helps to get the child returned home or placed with a loved one. When that’s not possible, many foster families adopt.

We celebrated foster moms like Regina, whose mother was a foster parent for many years. Regina is a single, young professional woman. Regina went through the class, met other foster parents, and asked a lot of questions. Soon after she was licensed, Sarah was placed with her. Sarah recently reunified with her birth mother after being in care for a year. Regina and Sarah have formed a lasting relationship, and Sarah’s mother now has Regina for support.

We honored families like the Hughes family. They will soon be celebrating 10 years of fostering. They have adopted four children! The children in their home have different needs, diverse backgrounds, and various degrees of contact with their birth parents.

We saluted families like the Shaws who have been fostering for a little over a year. They’re caring for Tyrell who was placed with them when he was 8 weeks old. He came into care because his birth parents weren’t able to tend to his medical needs. Tyrell had a liver disorder and is medically fragile. The Shaws have been committed to his needs and have played a major role in supporting his birth mother around understanding his medical needs.

When most child welfare professionals go home at the end of the day, foster parents are continuing to serve Rhode Island’s most vulnerable children. We thank our foster parents for going above and beyond every day.

What can you do to help…
• Learn and share the truth about foster care. Children’s Friend offers information sessions for groups and/or individuals. Advocate for those affected and involved in child welfare.
• Do something special for someone you know who is a foster parent. Let them know that you appreciate them for making a difference in the lives of the children and families they’re helping.
• Tell a friend or loved one about foster care. You probably know someone who lights up when they’re around children, enjoys parenting, and has a big heart. Have them call Children’s Friend, and we’ll answer their questions.
• Become a Foster Parent! Our foster parents come from all walks of life, from all types of professions, are single or married, in traditional or non-traditional families. But they have one thing in common: they are committed to making a difference in one child’s life.

If you would like more information about foster care, contact Joyce LaFrance Tormey at 401-276-4318 or jtormey@cfsri.org.