National Foster Care Day is observed annually on the first Tuesday of May, which is May 2 this year. National Foster Care Month, which was created to recognise the efforts of foster parents in the United States, includes this significant day. As time advances, the monthly and daily focuses continue to shift. Nevertheless, National Foster Care Day remains a significant celebration of foster parents and the system that makes foster care possible. Foster care refers to a system in which children without suitable guardians are placed in a home or with private carers who serve as state-appointed guardians, typically for a brief period of time.
The background of National Foster Care Day
National Foster Care Day is part of a larger commemoration of foster parents, community care workers, and foster care system participants. This celebration occurs throughout the month of May.
National Foster Care Day and National Foster Care Month are maintained by numerous organisations, such as the Children’s Bureau, National Foster Youth Institute, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Foster Club, and Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, among others.
National Foster Care Day is an essential day that recognises both the efforts and limitations of foster parents. Foster parents are recognised for their contributions, but it is understood that they cannot replace biological parents when it comes to the well-being of children. The function of foster parents as part of the state’s support system for children without guardians is emphasised to emphasise that they are not destined to become permanent families for children in the foster care system.
However, many infants in the system are ineligible for adoption due to a variety of factors. Many children remain in the foster care system until they are 18 years old, which is far too long. Upon reaching this age, they are no longer wards of the state and frequently lack support systems as they transition into maturity. On National Foster Care Day, these young adults are also remembered, and efforts are made to recognise their struggles and identify solutions to their problems.
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5 interesting facts about the national foster care system.
In 2016, there were approximately 420 000 children in foster care in the United States.
In 2012, California had nearly twice as many children in foster care as New York, with approximately 55,000 children registered.
Foster care is traumatic, and up to 30 percent of children develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) despite the best efforts of the carers.
In 1984, it was determined that Maryland’s foster care programme was not meeting the requirements of the children, so the state’s programme was placed under a consent decree in 1988.
After the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, children became eligible for adoption after a certain period of time in foster care.
NATIONAL FOSTER CARE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | May 3 | Tuesday |
| 2023 | May 2 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | May 7 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | May 6 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | May 5 | Tuesday |
