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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Civilians look at Soldiers differently. It could be the uniform, or the way they carry themselves, or maybe it’s the knowledge that each one is a skilled warrior sworn to defend the United States from all enemies. Perhaps it’s because they speak in slews of acronyms, lovingly nicknamed “alphabet soup.”
Without a doubt, the military and its families are a subculture all their own. Despite its diverse ethnic and racial composition, the Army unifies Soldiers in a brotherhood. Military children are accustomed to this community and the dramatic changes it can bring such as, frequent relocations and being separated from parents during deployments. However, even the most resilient child is not prepared to enter the foster care system.
Becoming a foster child is terrifying: you have to move from your home, potentially leaving everything you know including your school and friends and live with strangers for an unknown period of time. The goal of foster families is to make this transition as smooth as possible, which is why there is a demand for foster parents in the military community.
Amy May, foster care liaison, Family Advocacy Program, Army Community Service, said she understands the need for stability during traumatic transitions like moving to live with a foster family.
“They try with the foster care system to keep as much continuity and community within a child’s life as possible, especially with our military kids,” May said. “The main reason for us trying to get military foster parents is to help give kids that community. Having someone who is within that military community, then children don’t have to explain themselves.”
According to Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, North Carolina had 9,036 children in foster care Sept. 30, 2013. Because the population of surrounding communities includes Soldiers and their families, we must realize our part in this statistic and attempt to take care of our own.
Foster care is managed by each individual county, so military families who are interested will apply and receive training from the county in which they live.
May provides information to interested military members regarding how to become foster families. For those who meet the minimum requirements she urges them to seek even more information.
“Fostering children can be very involved, like balancing appointments and birth parent visits,” May said. “I encourage people to attend the training because then they’ll get a clearer picture of everything you’re getting into.”
Certainly, military families are not strangers to difficult situations and hectic schedules; however, each foster child has a unique past that will affect their behaviors.
“We have to remember that a lot of these children have been traumatized and now they’re going through something that’s very traumatic,” said May. “You have to be someone who has an open heart, and you have to be willing to accept children how they are and work with them because they are the children who need love the most.”
Foster families need to be flexible and adaptive; however, May said helping a child and his or her family reunite is a fantastic reward.
Interested service members should know that because each county operates separately, registering to be a foster parent will result in options to potentially foster non-military children as well. The goal is to match military children with military foster families, however, with only two military foster families on Fort Bragg, the chances of this happening become extremely limited.
Military families who are interested should contact May at 910-908-1242 to find out more information and how to get started helping other families in need.
Foster Parent Requirements:
• Be at least 21 years old (married or single)
• Be willing to submit to background and fingerprint checks
• Foster families must rent or own their own home or live in on-post housing and have enough space for a foster child (there are rules for room sharing)
• Maintain a stable, drug-free environment
• Each adult in the home must complete all required training and be licensed by the State of North Carolina
• Cannot have any abuse or neglect reports
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 01.06.2015 15:02 |
| Story ID: | 151429 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 152 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Keeping the community: Military foster families needed at Fort Bragg, by SGT Taryn Hagerman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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