{"id":17809,"date":"2024-05-06T09:13:08","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T15:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/co4kids.org\/?p=17809"},"modified":"2025-01-23T11:29:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T18:29:08","slug":"five-colorado-families-recognized-in-celebration-of-national-foster-care-month-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/co4kids.org\/es\/news-press\/five-colorado-families-recognized-in-celebration-of-national-foster-care-month-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Colorado Families Recognized in Celebration of \r\nNational Foster Care Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Five Colorado Families Recognized in Celebration of \r\nNational Foster Care Month<\/h1><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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DENVER <\/strong>(May 6, 2024) \u2014 To mark National Foster Care Month and encourage more Coloradans to become foster parents, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) recognized five foster families during a luncheon at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Saturday, May 4, 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese families are examples of ordinary Coloradans doing something extraordinary to strengthen families and their community. Their support for reunification and commitment to caring for youth of all ages is remarkable<\/strong>,\u201d said Mollie Bradlee, interim director of the CDHS Office of Children, Youth and Families. \u201cThey are an inspiration for others to consider what they can do right now to make a difference for kids and families.\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When parents need additional support to provide safety and care for their children, county human\/social service agencies work to meet those needs with a focus on keeping families together. In instances where that is not possible, caseworkers first look for kin \u2014 adults who have an established, trusted relationship with the child \u2014 to step in. Whenever there is no kinship possibility, foster families provide safety, stability and care. Today in Colorado, there are 3,448 children and youth living with Colorado\u2019s 2,471 certified kinship and foster families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know that people are curious about foster care and want to know more about what it is really like,\u201d<\/strong> said Bradlee. \u201cBy sharing these real stories, we hope to inspire more Coloradans to support children and youth who need a temporary safe place to heal while their parents or caregivers work on building skills to help their children thrive.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every community in Colorado continues to seek out more foster families as the state works to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First). Family First is a federal law that seeks to ensure children and youth who can\u2019t live safely at home are living in a kinship or foster family home with appropriate support instead of residential care. The Act also emphasizes reunification with biological family members whenever possible. Many of the families recognized by CDHS this year are being honored for their efforts in elevating support for older youth and youth with higher needs who might otherwise live in a residential care setting, such as a group home or residential child care facility, and excelling reunification with biological family members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a foster parent, while challenging, can be extremely rewarding. In Colorado, foster parents can be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n