Dozens of community members in Boone County, W.Va. gathered together at a forum held by the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, to discuss improving the foster care system last Tuesday.
The Children’s Home Society of West Virginia is a nonprofit, child welfare organization that helps certify foster families.
Image from WV Public Broadcasting
This session was one of many that will be occurring all throughout the state, as the organization is hoping to gather input and policy suggestions from communities to take to the next legislative session. The next sessions is set for tonight, Sept. 5th, at Ritchie County High School in Ellenboro, Ritchie County.
Some of the concerns mentioned at the meeting were the tedious requirements to babysit foster care children, six month long waits for home inspections and the huge amounts of paperwork, according to WV Public Broadcasting.
As of April 2019, more than 6,900 children were in foster care in W.Va., according to AdoptUsKids, therefore there is no doubt it will be a big topic at the next year’s legislation meeting.
KVC West Virginia is another non-profit in the state that is working towards improving child welfare and the foster care system. Below is an poster from their latest newsletter on their contributions:
With number of children entering system at such a rapid rate in West Virginia, it is not an issue that just a couple of people can tackle alone. This is something that requires residents from various backgrounds and communities from all over the state, to come together and get involved in the conversation.
Foster Care in Appalachia 