Governor Cuomo Proclaims May as Foster Care Month
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo proclaimed May as Foster Care Awareness Month to recognize that every child has the right to grow up in a safe, healthy and stable home environment. Foster parents play an essential role in providing temporary, safe, and nurturing homes to children when their parents are unable to care for them. The good news is that from 1995 to 2012, the number of children in New York State's foster care decreased from nearly 54,000 to fewer than 21,000. OCFS, along with our partners at the local district level, are also reducing rates of re-entry into foster care.
There is still work for us to do: there are 19,000 boys and girls that are currently looking for permanent homes. Through the ongoing work and continued support of the Kinship Guardian Assistance Program (KinGAP), Youth in Progress, and Education and Training Voucher programs, foster youth are gaining permanency and well-being, and transitioning to brighter, more productive futures. In addition, current and former foster youth can find assistance with educational, vocational, housing, and other challenges in their transition from foster care to self-sufficiency thanks to preventive agencies and independent living programs.
The foster care homepage on the OCFS website offers a wealth of information about foster care, including the requirements that foster parents must meet, how youth placement occurs, and frequently asked questions.
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