Misconceptions and racial bias surrounding foster and adoption policy make it harder for some of the St. Louis region’s most vulnerable children to access services.
The issues disproportionately affect Black children and families — and dissuades some people from becoming foster parents.
In the St. Louis area, 70% of children in foster care identify as Black, but only 13% of foster parents do. While interracial foster and adoptive homes can be healthy and safe, providing a racially competent household increases positive outcomes for children.
The Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition — which has served foster children and families since 1989 — has relaunched a program called Respond. The focus of it is to educate Black St. Louisans about foster care and to recruit new foster parents. Jenny Jones, the director of Respond, and foster parent Heather Craig joined St. Louis on the Air to share their experiences of serving Black foster children and families.
“When our children are able to be in culturally competent homes, in homes that look like them, where they can experience their cultural ties on a day-to-day basis, we know that their self esteem is better. We know that their confidence is better,” Jones said. “[The healing] from their trauma is better overall.”
Jones said that throughout her career she has had to set the record straight on what fostering is and is not. “I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I get asked, ‘Do I need to be married?’ ‘I only have a two bedroom?’ ‘Will my kids keep me from being able to foster?’ People believe that we just kind of drop kids off at their front doorstep.”
Craig has fostered children for seven years and has adopted children into her family. She and her husband are parents to four children and are currently fostering a 2-year-old.
Craig said her motivation to continue fostering is simple.
“It's all about the children. It's all about the families. … I want every birth parent to know we're here for you, and we want to help. We're wishing you the best and we're loving on your little one while you're getting it together,” she said.
For more about Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition and the Respond program, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Avery Rogers is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
