The Opportunity

How to help foster children in Miami

Explore foster Miami

Demystifying the foster care system

Foster parent, foster child, respite caregiver, licensing classes, wraparound care–these words may conjure confusion because foster care is still a mystery to many.

In Miami-Dade County, over 1,000 kids are removed from their homes and placed in the child welfare system each year.

Explore Foster Miami hopes to demystify the foster care system, so that anyone can step up and say “yes” to bringing support to a child and family.

Did you know?

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65% of foster youth experience seven or more school changes (K-12) while in care.

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50% of children in foster care have chronic medical problems.

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70% is the approximate number of siblings who are in foster care. They are often separated while in care due to a lack of foster parents who can take in sibling groups.

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$300K is the average lifetime social cost paid by citizens for every youth who ages out of the foster care system. This includes public assistance and incarceration.

Source: Voices for Children Foundation

Not Sure How to Help? Here’s the First Step.

Get Started

The Need is Real, but You Can Help

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Did you know you can mentor a child for a few hours?

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Did you know you can foster as a single parent?

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How about taking a child to the Frost Museum or a Marlins game?

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Do you have a building that could be used for foster licensing classes?

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Would you like to be a Guardian ad Litum (GAL) for a child?

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How about donating a car seat to a foster family?

The Support to Flourish

There is a tangible need for more preventive care services for biological parents, wraparound support for the child and their foster parents, a marked increase in loving, quality foster parent homes, adequate housing for sibling groups to remain intact, and mentorship and enhanced resources for youths who are aging out of the system.

We believe that through inspiring Miami to explore, connect, and mobilize, children and families will have the support to flourish. All it takes is a raised hand and a willing heart.

To Learn More About Foster Care in Miami, Click the Button Below to Download the Full Report.

Download the Full Report

An Average “Out of Home Journey” of a Foster Child

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There are different journeys that a foster child like can go through while in the system. From the day a child is removed from their home, they will face challenges while in placement, all the way to finding a permanent, loving home.

There is also a possibility that a child can remain in the system until he or she ages out at 18 years old. Often these youth who age out face homelessness, are at risk for substance abuse, delinquency, mental illness, and are prey for human traffickers.

There are wonderful organizations in Miami who walk alongside youth who are aging out, but these kids need more support, and that’s where you can make a difference.

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Would you like to be a mentor?

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Could you take a teenager to a Marlins game for the afternoon?

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How about taking a sibling group to a Saturday movie?

There are tangible ways you can make a difference in the lives of these children.