In the last year, Rhode Island took custody of 44 children in Westerly who had to leave their homes for safety reasons. The state’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families spokesman, Adam Williams, said that’s why his office is kicking off a new campaign to recruit foster parents in town.
“These children who are in these situations have already experienced trauma, and there’s additional trauma that can occur when they can not live safely with their parents and they have to be removed,” Williams said. “It can be a really huge help when we have homes availble in their town. Being close to home allows these children to stay connected to their schools, their teachers, their friends, their extra curricular activities, and those who love them.”
Williams said they’re looking for an additional 15 to 20 families to sign up.
DCYF will host two community meetings at the Westerly Library for people interested in becoming foster parents. The first is on Wednesday, October 24th. The second meeting is on Thursday, November 15th.
