Foster care is the temporary placement for children who have been removed from their parents' care.  These children have been sheltered for no fault of their own!   And these children need a caring home, while their parents address the issues causing their displacement.

​There is currently an URGENT NEED for MORE FOSTER HOMES.

Could you open your heart, and your home, to help a child?  

Speak Up For Kids, through their Foster Palm Beach program, is devoted to finding caring homes for abused, abandoned, & neglected children in Palm Beach County. ​

In Palm Beach County​
49 children were placed in out-of-home care in August alone bringing the total of young lives  displaced by abuse or neglect  in Palm Beach County to 1,259
​
Currently, there are almost
​120 CHILDREN
who Need a HOME!


​Everyone plays a role in building our community. 

​Find. Your. Something!​ 
​Our greatest need is for caring foster parents. 
Foster Parents act as substitute parents caring for all of a child’s needs, educational, medical, & developmental, while working with agencies for therapy and other required services. They help transition a child for reunification with parents.
Provide a voice for foster children. 
Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Child Advocates represent the best interests of foster children in court making sure they don’t get lost in an overburdened legal system. ​Time Commitment=10-15 hours per month
Every child needs a Forever Family! 
Adoptive Parent(s) provide a place to call home for the holidays, a shoulder to cry on during the tough times, and a family to celebrate the good times in life!
​Guide children toward a successful future. 
Mentors are a positive role model providing guidance, friendship and support dedicated to a youth's success – now and in the future. Minimum 1 hour a week, 2 year commitment.
​Not sure how you can help?
Everyone can do something!  Could you: Invite us to speak at your business? Post flyers at local stores? Host a fundraiser for Speak Up For Kids of PBC? Invite neighbors into your home for an informational coffee? Give a teen a job or apprenticeship?
​ Ready to Start?
Use this link or visit our Upcoming Events page to schedule your information session or call 561-223-9646.

Will you open your Heart and your Home to help a Child?



Sign up for an info session to learn more:
In Palm Beach County, at any given time, there are nearly 370 children living with foster families and almost 680 in relative/non-relative placements. 

​Do the math!  That leaves almost 180 children in Group Care or "Other" situations.  Ultimately, a child thrives when they have a parent figure focused on their entire well-being.

Of the 1200 children in Out-of-Home care, 602 are ages 5 and under.

Sadly, 41% of siblings in care are separated. Imagine being a child leaving everything they know (for their safety), only to then be separated from their brother or sister. As of September 2019, there are 269 siblings groups in out-of-home foster care in Palm Beach County. Of these 110 are separated:  41 siblings of 2 separated, 33 siblings of 3, 17 siblings of 4, 10 siblings of 5, 5 siblings of 6, 3 siblings of 7, and 1 set of 10 siblings all separated. Surely we can find homes to keep some of these kids together!​
 
OUR Children deserve to be in a home-like setting with a surrogate parent focused on their needs!

Will you become a Foster Parent?

If not you, then who?  If you aren't ready to be a foster parent yet, then who do you know that can?!!
Be the change a child needs to succeed in life!

Now more than ever the children of our community need YOU!
"​We're just kids! We have hopes, we have dreams, and we want to be loved. 

We want someone to care what we eat for breakfast, take us to the park, and cheer at our soccer game?"
​Foster parents provide  secure temporary homes  for children whose own homes have been determined unsafe. Children range in age from newborn infants to teenagers; frequently they are members of a sibling group.  

The reasons why children come into the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families

You'll see from the chart that Drug Abuse by the parent is the number one reason children were removed from their home.

Next is abandonment/neglect.

Often prior to entering state's care, a child will be shuffled to various family or non-relative caregivers. 

A stable and caring environment is the best path to success for these children. Could you  commit to fostering a child during this difficult time?

The foster children did not ask to be enduring these circumstances:  they are simply victims of abuse, abandonment, or neglect. ​

​Could you provide a safe place for a foster child to heal and grow? 

Statistics: Group vs. Foster ​Homes 

​As you'll see from the charts below, our teens could benefit most from having an individual foster parent or parents focused on their needs.

Group homes provide valuable services to these teens, often combining therapy, life skills, and housing all in one. Many of the children have never had a structured environment and so the daily routines put in place at group homes helps to acclimate them to a daily schedule. But long term, research shows that children benefit from having a foster family.

The reputation of teen behaviors sometimes discourages potential foster parents. But there are other ways to get involved in their lives and build a relationship that could (or might not) lead to an eventual foster parent situation.
  • You could be a Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Child Advocate (GAL). In this powerful and rewarding role, you'll act as another set of eyes and ears for the courts and advocate for the best interest of the children as decisions are made related to the child's safety, placement, educational, therapeutic, medical needs and much more. Visit www.galpbc.org to learn more.
  • You could become a Project 18 Mentor for a foster child.  You'll provide guidance, friendship and support with as a positive role model dedicated to their success – now and in the future. Visit https://www.chsfl.org/services/for-teens/mentoring/ to learn more.
  • Visit our Other Way to Help page for other ideas.
According to a report from Florida Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability:
​
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families 2017 Annual Performance Report:
Only 61% of Foster Children in Palm Beach County were at the Appropriate Grade Level.
And 44% of PBC Foster Children changed schools at least once during the school year.

Kindness

Compassion

Patience
​
Love

​


Upcoming Events