Madison County seeks foster families, thousands of children look for placement

JACKSON, Tenn. — There is a big need for foster families across the state with thousands of children looking for placement. Here locally, leaders urge community members to make an impact.

Coming into foster care is a traumatic experience for any child. Having more families available here in Madison County is one way to alleviate that.

“We, across all agencies including Department of Children’s Services and Youth Villages, need approximately 40 more homes just to keep all our kids in care in Madison County,” said Donna Goodman, Recruiting and Engagement Specialist at Youth Villages.

Youth Villages has been helping children find homes for 36 years. Currently, there are more than 8,000 children in the state of Tennessee who need a home.

“Everyone can do something,” said Goodman.

90% of children in foster care from Madison County right now were moved out of the county for services.

“And this is just adds extra trauma to them because they’re having to leave everything that they know,” said Goodman.

Goodman says there’s a big need for homes that will accept older children, teenagers and sibling groups. 55% of children in foster care from Madison County are separated from a sibling also in foster care.

“Most of our children have been through some kind of abuse, trauma, so we want to ensure that when they come into care that first placement is best placement,” said Goodman

By placing a child with a family in Madison County, they can stay closer to the places and people they know, potentially remain in the same school, and be closer to family members who may be working toward reunification.

“A lot of people have this idea that you have to have all this money in the bank, or you have to have this big house, or you have to be married. No, you don’t. You just have to have the willingness to open you home and your heart for a child,” said Goodman

Goodman says even you can make a difference. For more information on foster care opportunities, call or text 731-660-6767, or you can attend the next virtual information session happening on May 9 at 9 A.M.

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