May is National Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month is a time to acknowledge the 463,000 American children and youth in foster care and the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections.

This year, the Children’s Bureau and Child Welfare Information Gateway are supporting National Foster Care Month through a special website for child welfare professionals with the theme, “Partnering With Families and Youth to Achieve Permanency.” The website highlights the significant number of older children and youth in foster care and the important role child welfare professionals play in helping youth build relationships with families and in building other lifelong connections between youth and the people who are important to them.

Child Welfare Information Gateway’s National Foster Care Month website features information and resources that help caseworkers, administrators, managers, and policymakers improve permanency services and outcomes for children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system. The website includes:

Resources about partnering with youth, kin, foster parents, and community members and within child welfare agencies to help youth achieve permanency

Information related to foster care and permanency from the Children’s Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network

Personal stories and photos from the Children’s Bureau Adoption Opportunity grantees of youth and families who have successfully achieved permanence

Links to digital stories from the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections, which include youth and child welfare workers sharing their experiences and perspectives.

Visit the website at https://fostersource.org/

For additional information, contact info@childwelfare.gov or 1.800.394.3366.