BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WBRC) – The number of children placed in foster care skyrockets as the new school year begins, according to Lifeline Children’s Services.
A representative of the facility says this is because teachers, counselors and school staff see these children differently, observe them and sometimes notice problems. They are “mandatory reporters” and are required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.
The agency’s president and CEO says that in 2020, during the pandemic, the number of calls to DHR dropped because children were not attending school in person and therefore there were fewer people to watch and care for them.
Nevertheless, in 2022, it is said that 20% of children were placed in foster families by educational professionals.
Although it is a good thing to get these children out of violent homes, Herbie Newell believes that this is where the community needs to take action.
There are many ways you can help, including becoming a foster parent, encouraging your church to reach out to families in need, or mentoring or teaching adults how to be better parents and get their children out of the system.
No matter how much you can help, Newell says foster care becomes a vicious cycle that the community must try to break.
“In fact, 70 percent of children who are leaving foster care will actually have foster children in the future, and so we need to take care of these children who are leaving the family,” Newell said. “We need to teach them life skills, provide them with guidance and support so they can break the cycle of foster care.”
For more information about Lifeline and the company’s resources, visit the company’s website.
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