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May is National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to raise awareness on the plight of children and youth in the foster care system. There are approximately 400,000 children and youth in foster care because their own families are unable to provide for their essential well-being. In addition, approximately 30,000 young people age out of the foster care system each year with limited supports. 

The National Association of Social Workers, with Casey Family Programs and other partner organizations, underscore the important work of social workers, and the increasing need for a safe, stable and nurturing environment for children and youth during National Foster Care Month.

National Foster Care Month highlights the need of children and youth who need to be in foster care until they can either safely reunite with their parents or establish other lifelong family relationships.  Social workers play a critical role in working with children, biological parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and kinship care to ensure the proper placement for all children in care.

This year NASW will support National Foster Care Month through a dedicated web section for social workers committed to serving children, youth and families involved with the child welfare system.  This section highlights resources related to the critical issues that children and youth face information to support the child welfare workforce.  

• Addressing the Educational Needs of Older Youth
• Engaging Young People in their Transition Planning
• Supporting the Child Welfare Workforce to Reduce Child Maltreatment
• Youth Aging Out of Foster Care: Supporting their Transition into Adulthood
• Meeting the Needs of Immigrant Children and Youth in Child Welfare
• From Poverty to Child Welfare Involvement:  The Critical Role of Housing in Family Stability
• NASW Standards for  Social Work Practice in Child Welfare
• Supervision: The Safety Net for Front-Line Child Welfare Practice
• High Caseloads: How Do they Impact Delivery of Health and Human Services
• Child Welfare Social Worker’s Attitudes Toward Mobile Technology Tools:  Is there a Generation Gap?

NASW calls on all Americans to help make a difference in the life of at least one young child or young person in foster care. Please visit the National Foster Care Month website to find out how you can make a lasting difference in the lives of America’s child welfare involved children and families.