Youth Villages is looking for caring foster parents willing to open up their hearts and homes to a child in need. May is Foster Care Awareness Month.
“We are always looking for caring foster parents,” said Kimberly Speros, Youth Villages public relations coordinator. “Currently, Youth Villages has two foster families in Warren County.”
Children referred to the Youth Village foster care program by the Department of Children’s Services typically have experienced trauma in their lives and have some type of emotional or behavioral issues, says Speros.
“Our foster care program specializes in helping children who need a higher level of care than many other foster care programs can provide,” she said. “For children who have suffered abuse or neglect, a foster parent is often the first caring adult in their lives.”
Youth Villages is always looking for foster families because the need never ends. While some foster families choose to adopt and stop fostering, others move out of state or stop fostering entirely.
Youth Villages has been providing foster care services in Tennessee since 1992 and provides ongoing support for foster parents. All new foster parents complete training courses and counselors are available 24 hours a day to provide additional support. They also have access to weekly support groups and mentoring from experienced foster parents.
Candidates should be single or married adults who are at least 25 years old, be able to pass a background check, and have stable income, as well as adequate space in the home for a child. A monthly stipend is provided to help offset the cost of adding another child to the household.
Classes are forming and information sessions will be held. For more information about becoming a foster parent, contact foster parent recruiter Jennifer Dyer at 1-931-525-6905 or at Jennifer.Dyer@youthvillages.org.