HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — May is Foster Care Awareness Month and one Henrico foster mother says we all need to more for the children who are in danger of aging out of foster care without finding that permanent, loving home.
"It's completely changed me. I am now much less judgmental about where people are coming from, and where kids are coming from."
Carol Marie Chantrell's life is dramatically different than it was five years ago, and foster care has been a huge part of that transformation.
"It just makes me much more understanding for big behaviors and small behaviors that you see, like when I volunteer in those spaces," said Chantrell. "And it's made me a better Christian. And it just makes me want to give more, do more, be more for the kids in our world."
Chantrell and her husband Dave have fostered 13 children ranging in age from 7 to 17 with placements from just a few days to years. She says their now 7-year-old biological son has benefited from the experience, especially with a foster brother his age.
"So I put them together, just kind of blended them," said Chantrell, showing how she mounted the two 7-year-old boys' artwork together, "It was really cool. I love seeing them do stuff like that together."
"We feel like [foster care] has taught our son to be more empathetic, us to be more empathetic. Just in knowing what these kids lack and the trauma that they've gone through."
Of the 5,000 children in foster care in Virginia about half are age 13 or older, so the need for potential foster parents to stand up has never been greater.
"The financial burden alone is a big deterrent for many people," said Chantrell. "You do get a very decent stipend per kid. And the kids, all they ask for when they need to place a child, is a bed and a dresser. And the kids can share rooms with your bio kids with other kids."
She says everyone can do something, big or small, that these children, especially the ones in danger of aging out, need attention from responsible adults.
"Even if you can't invite a child into your home, there are ways where you can volunteer, you can help advocate, you can be in touch with their councilman, you can donate, you can volunteer when these come and just give them one-on-one attention," said Chantrell. " Even when you are a foster parent, when you have the chance to give your kids one-on-one attention, it's really important."
Virginia ranks 49th, almost dead last, in states that allow foster children to age out without a permanent home. That means about 500 18 to 21-year-olds are in imminent danger of homelessness, drug abuse or violence every year.
Chantrell says a program called Fostering Futures allows a child to stay connected to a foster family up to age 21. That very program is helping her now 18-year-old foster daughter.
"A big need is the older teens," Chantrell said. "We've had several teen females come through our home. If the child turns 18 in the foster care system, they can do the Fostering Futures program, which will allow them to stay in your home through age 21, or they can do a program outside of your home, and you can just be what's called a natural resource."
"So just because a child is 16 to 17, it doesn't mean you can't make a difference, right?" Chantrell added. "Those are really vital years where they're learning to open a checking account, where they're learning to learn how to mail an envelope so they can pay a bill."
Above all says Chantrell, every Virginian needs to be aware that thousands of children, though no fault of their own, need help, from all of us.
"Five-thousand kids. That's a lot of a lot of toys that some people can't afford at Christmas. It's a lot of backpacks and school supplies." said Chantrell. "And so even a school supply drive at church or a food drive to help with the burden is really something that's such a blessing."
"If you have things that you could donate to Goodwill, reach out to your local DSS or your local foster care group and find out if there's a need, ands just ask, 'Can we give this to a child in care?'"
If you would like to help children in foster care, there are several places you can start:
- The Virginia Department of Social Services has oversight over all state programs.
- CBS 6 partners with JFS/Connecting Hearts each year.
- CBS 6 has also worked with Hope Tree Family Services and UMFS.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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