The purpose of foster care is to give children a reprieve from what was an unsafe living condition, moving them into what the Department of Social Services has deemed to be a safe environment. The word ‘foster’ is synonymous with ‘stand-in’ or ‘substitute.’ So ideally, while this ‘fostering’ happens, long term solutions are being formulated for a child’s well being and permanency.
During May, Foster Care Awareness Month, we are sharing tools originally compiled by Texas CASA to explain foster care to a variety of audiences.
Call to Faith Communities
Children in foster care have been removed from their homes, meaning they have been removed from the only family and support system they have known. They need advocates who will stand up for their best interests in court. They also need the community, as a whole, to be speaking up for them. This can be spurred on by faith communities and clergy leaders coming together to live out their callings and be voices for the vulnerable.
Our friends at Texas CASA point out that “every major religion shares common tenets expressed in different words, and in every religion, prayers, stories and metaphors express the universal calling: To lead a virtuous life, we must value and care for all people, including those less fortunate than ourselves.”
Watch this video and consider how your faith community can support and serve children in foster care. It starts by working to better understand the needs of children and families in our area.
