May is Foster Parent Appreciation Month in South Dakota.
State Department of Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill says foster parents step up when children have nowhere else to go, offering a safe, nurturing and stable home during a difficult and emotional time. She says DSS appreciates the caring, generosity and flexibility of foster parents and the difference they make in the lives of South Dakota children.
Gill says strong families serve as a child’s primary source of love, identity, support, and self-esteem. South Dakota’s foster parents open their homes and hearts to children whose families are in crisis and play a key role in helping children and families heal and reunify. Currently, foster parents are caring for more than 930 children and youth in our state.
DSS helps recruit and train foster parents to provide a safe and stable environment to children who have been abused or neglected until they can return home, or to another permanent residence.
There is always a need for additional compassionate and caring foster parents to help children and families through what may be the most difficult times of their lives.
For information about how to become a foster parent in South Dakota, visit FosterOne.sd.gov. You can also visit dss.sd.gov/childprotection/fostercare.
Comments