MANCHESTER, NH – The NH Foster Parent Bill of Rights is in the initial stages right now at the State House. Did you know that you don’t need to be a foster parent to give your input or to support this bill?
Not all states treat foster parents the same way. In NH, foster parents are often overlooked as a vital component to the successful transition of children back home or to a new adoptive home. Everyone knows that the opioid epidemic has brought our foster care system to a place of crisis. NH has had over a 387 percent increase in the number of children removed from substance abuse environments and the need for foster care placements has risen more than 25 percent.
The number of licensed foster homes in NH is down over 30 percent in the past few years, which is adversely affecting multitudes of vulnerable children. The retention of current foster parents is essential right now. The Foster Parent Bill of Rights will not only help decrease the amount of foster parents closing their foster homes, it may encourage former foster parents to renew their foster care license or to take in more children in need.
Manchester is the largest city in the state with children who desperately need DCYF to collaborate with foster parents. Many other states around the country already have similar laws that help recognize foster parents as the key caregivers and advocates for their foster children. This NH Foster Parent Bill of Rights will create laws that strengthen support for foster parents as valuable members of the child’s welfare team. Foster parents working together with DCYF can ensure more positive outcome for families in crisis and less chance of a child re-entering foster care.
We must improve foster home recruitment and retention of quality foster parents. The NH Foster Parent Bill of Rights needs your support. It is your right as a citizen of NH to contribute to the making of this law. Please go to this link and take a look at the proposed bill: https://www.fosteringchangenh.org/foster-parent-bill-of-rights
Let’s all join together to help ALL foster parents in NH become recognized as valuable members of the foster care team!
Email FOSTERING CHANGE: Alliance for NH Foster Parents to share your support: fosterchangenh@gmail.com
NH needs more foster parents! Go here to learn more about how to become a foster parent.
