Need for foster parents willing to take in teens grows in Franklin County

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Franklin County Children’s Services says there is a critical need for foster parents, especially people willing to take in teens and tweens.

It has become more difficult for them to place older kids and they are now asking for the community’s help. “We’ve had a challenge more recently than historically of placing children 11 to 15 years old primarily but definitely teens and tweens. So we’d like to set a goal of recruiting 100 foster parents,” says Chip Spinning, the executive director of Franklin County Children’s Services.

Spinning says there are many benefits to opening up your home to an older child. When fostering a teen or tween you get additional resources like a tutor for the child, respite and a highly daily stipend. Spinning also says that you don’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops to become a foster parent.

“A lot of the point of this campaign is to really dispel myths that you don’t have to have a college degree, you don’t have to be married, you don’t have to own your home,” says Spinning. “So we hope it will open up the doors for people who thought they couldn’t be foster parents and they’ll come forward and be foster parents.”

Someone who has opened her home time and time again in Helena Herd. She has fostered close to 100 kids with many of them being teens and tweens. They are a little tougher but what I try to do is treat the kids like they were my own and a lot of these youth do know who cares about them and it goes a long way,” says Herd.

Though it can be a challenge, Herd says it is worth it to help the kids reach their full potential. She encourages local people to look into becoming foster parents. “Just give it a try. We need more good people,” says Herd.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent you can either call Franklin County Children’s Services’ hotline at 614-275-2711 or visit their website.