In acknowledgement of children and youth in foster care, as well as the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections, the board of county commissioners proclaimed May as Foster Care Month at their meeting on Wednesday, May 1.
Foster Care Month is a time to raise awareness of issues related to foster care and to acknowledge those in the community who do whatever is necessary to help children and youth in foster care achieve permanency. Foster parents provide critical investments in the well-being, safety, and sense of stability that is essential for children and youth when they need it most.
Weld County foster families have helped to drastically reduce the number of children and youth in higher levels of care in the past five years, and during the May 1 board meeting, two families who exemplify the qualities of foster and certified kinship families were in attendance: the Dunn and Bushaw/Kiefer families. Both families were recognized. Director of Human Services, Jamie Ulrich, read a few of the glowing comments attributed to these families from Guardian Ad Litems and Foster Care Coordinators, speaking directly to the care, affection, and dedicated reunification efforts they have provided to the children in their care.
Commissioner Mike Freeman took the time to speak on the remarkable work of the Weld County Foster Care team and their community partners. “It’s amazing to me how many new families you bring in all the time,” said Freeman. “It seems almost every board meeting we’re able to approve new foster families, which means you’re doing an amazing job finding these people who are willing to step up to the plate to help these kids.”
The Board of County Commissioners urges the citizens of Weld County to encourage and support children and youth in foster and kinship care and to applaud the commitments of foster and kinship parents as well as dedicated child welfare professionals who invest their time and energy into the lives of these young people in our community.
See the official Weld County Government Facebook and Twitter pages throughout May for more highlights on Foster Care Month. For more information on child support services, family resources, and more, please visit https://www.weld.gov/Government/Departments/Human-Services.
