Foster Children’s Day

Today is Foster Children’s Day. The Califon Borough Council passed a resolution declaring December 12th as FOSTER CHILDRENS DAY in Califon Borough. The resolution reads as follows:

WHEREAS, as of June, 2011, approximately 408,000 children are in some type of foster care; and

WHEREAS, the average age of a foster child is 9 years old, with an average of 14 to 25 months in the foster care system, 48 percent of foster children will be placed in a nonrelative home; and

WHEREAS, of the 408,000 children, only 107,000 were eligible for adoption, only 53,000 were adopted and only 51 percent are reunited with their parents or original guardians; and

WHEREAS, approximately 20,000 foster children will “age out” when they turn 18; of these children only 38 percent of them will hold a job for more than a year; 55 percent of them will be arrested and 18 to 26 percent of them will be incarcerated and will leave the foster system with little financial or emotional support; and

WHEREAS, the overwhelming majority of foster children end up in foster care after being removed from an abusive or neglectful household; and

WHEREAS, 7 years old is the average age that children are removed from their homes to enter the foster care system; and

WHEREAS, foster children are more likely to have a disability and the occurrence of every disability is 2 to 3 times higher among foster children than among those not in foster care;

WHEREAS, it is essential for the United States to recommit itself to recognizing the unique needs and experiences of foster children and to aid in facilitating permanent placement of these children as well as encouraging Federal, State and local government, private organizations and the general public to become involved with foster children through charitable efforts which acknowledge that these children are important and loved; and

WHEREAS, December 12, 2015 would be an appropriate date to designate as Foster Children’s Day; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Borough of Califon supports the designation of Foster Children’s Day in the United States to recognize the unique needs and experiences of foster children and to provide an opportunity for Federal, State and local government, private organizations and the general public to engage in charitable efforts which acknowledge that these foster children are important and loved.

Last modified: November 10, 2015