More permanent placements needed for Florida’s foster youth
A recent investigation by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper found that “thousands of Florida’s foster children were put at risk of further psychological damage by an overburdened system that repeatedly bounced them from home to home and family to family.”
According to Robin Rosenberg, deputy director of Florida’s Children First, too many children in our state are unnecessarily removed from their homes. Since 2013, the number of children in either foster homes or housed with relatives has risen significantly. Child advocates believe this surge in the number of youth needing placements has resulted in a decline in efforts to match children with the best placement situation to fit their needs. Children who are repeatedly moved from house to house will likely act out, only to find themselves moved again when they are not placed with a foster parent trained to deal with behavioral issues.
Read more about the Tampa Bay Times investigation here.