Stephens County Seeking More Foster Homes

By Charlie Bauder, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

Local and state agencies are working together to try and increase the number of available foster families in Stephens County.

Stephens County Family Connection Coordinator Allyson Warren said that right now, there are 9 active foster homes in Stephens County.

Warren said those homes get to a point where they are full and cannot take any more children.

She said that creates an issue if all of the homes are full when the state Department of Family and Children’s Services takes in another child.

“If there is not an available home in Stephens County, those kids are being removed not just from their home, but they are being placed in a totally different county.

Warren said that placing a child in a different county can have strong negative consequences.

She compared it to going to the store and always knowing where everything is and then switching stores completely and not knowing all of a sudden where anything is.

“These kids are having to learn new friends, new church, new school, new everything, in addition to the fact that they are living with another family,” said Warren. “Also, if you move that child out of that county and they have a sibling, what happens if they cannot go together?”

To try and help recruit more foster families in Stephens County, Family Connection and DFACS have teamed up to organize three informational meetings.

The first was on May 20 at the Toccoa First United Methodist Church.  The next one is coming up on June 18 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Toccoa.

Warren said if anyone is interested in learning more about becoming a foster family, they should attend that informational meeting.

“We ask people to come with an open mind,” said Warren. “It is certainly an opportunity to understand the facts, what is involved, the commitment there is.”

The June 18 foster family informational session at Ebenezer Baptist Church will start at 6:30 p.m.

Call the church office at 706-886-9300 to sign up.  Childcare will be provided.

For more information on the foster family program, call Diana Thornton at 706-599-9550 or Rebecca Davidson at 770-331-1024.