Foster homes needed

Dale and Ciley Andreen are holding an information meeting for those who might be interested in becoming a foster parent or foster family.

The Andreen’s have been foster parents for eight years and they have had 46 kids in that time.

“There’s just a need in Hot Springs County for foster homes, for respite care. We need prayer warriors, we people willing to step in and say hey, can I help you with your kids? Our foster homes are getting older. Right now there are only three or four foster home families that are active. That means homes that are actively taking foster children at the moment. The need is just there. During COVID everybody shut down, everyone stayed home, everybody was with their families but there still was a need for foster care. And we ended up with kids over COVID because the neglect, the abuse and the removal of children never stopped,” said Ciley.

Foster kids are usually from within the same county, however, depending upon the situation they can come from another county.

“Dale and I have taken kids cross-county, which means we’ve had Washakie County kids. That is not an ideal situation because when you remove a child you want to keep them in the same county where their family is. It’s the least restrictive environment for the child. Coming across the county isn’t always conducive. During COVID doing cross county worked. We had an older kid, but they were virtually schooling and it was easy for her to be on her computer and do school. Crossing county is an option sometimes but not ideal for the kids at all,” said Ciley

Some of the major reasons children enter the foster care situations are parents having legal issues, abuse or neglect.

Ciley added, “We have always looked at it as Dale and I are the calm in the storm. Reunification is always key. In our mind and the court’s mind, reunification is the key. So, we come alongside the parents to help the parents. The parents never feel like they have to battle us. We are not placing them or adopting them. Once we cross that hurdle with the parents. Use us for support, don’t view us as better than you or anything, it’s smooth sailing for us.”

The Andreen’s have housed children from as long as 72 hours to almost two years. Ciley said they do not have a cap on ages, so they house children from newborn until the child is no longer a minor. 

When it comes to your first experience as a foster parent, Ciley said, “In your first placement, you’re absolutely scared, you don’t know what to expect. But the longer I’ve done it, the more involved I’ve gotten. I’ve had frustrations, not with the kids, but the way our system is, not the local system, but it’s the social services system in the world. That needs to be reformed badly. But as far as the kids and the experiences, I call it my ‘good, bad and ugly’. There’s a lot of ugly in it, a lot of bad in it, but there is so much good in it. You often don’t remember the bad.”

As hosts of the meeting, Ciley said, “I want this to be an informational meeting for people who may have considered being a foster parent or a foster family that may have some questions and want to hear from an actual foster family. Come and see us if you qualify. You don’t have to be married. You don’t have to have a spouse. You don’t have to be young. There are so many different types of people that can be foster parents or respite care providers. I want this to be an open, informational meeting to help you out and see where you’re at.”

Even though there are challenges, Ciley emphasizes the good. She said referring to her own children, “I just watch my kids how much that they’ve grown and how much they’ve cared. Really, to me, my kids are the heroes in foster care because they give so much of themselves. The kids have to give up their mom or dad and they give up their house. They may give up a sporting event. I see these girls hold these babies while they put their makeup on and they say goodbye, never knowing if this is the last goodbye. Their hearts break along with us. Then the next child comes and it’s almost like you see their heart open again. I think that’s a huge thing for me to watch my kids.”

Ciley also described the successes of one of her foster children. She said, “Our foster daughter, we have watched her grow and spread her wings. She got her driver’s license. She’s getting ready to go to college. She’s graduating. She’s been able to finish her first full season of sports without having to quit. Being able to see the building blocks in your foster kid’s lives as they grow. Part of that is we are not her family and you fight that because they say ‘you’re not my mom’ or ‘you’re not my dad’ but right now we are the people who are going to protect you. They’re kids. You have the same attitude with your own kids. I just want people to not be afraid to see what foster care is all about and see if we can grow our foster care community.” 

If you’re interested in knowing more about being a foster care parent or foster home in Hot Springs County come to the Andreen’s informational meeting at the Fire Hall, Monday, April 12 at 7 p.m. Bring a friend or neighbor and snacks will be served. The Fire Hall is located at 400 South 14th Street.

The Foster Care Coordinator is Kristie Collins, (307) 548-6503.

For any questions, call Dale or Ciley Andreen at 921-1880.