San Luis Obispo Child Welfare officials report a need for more foster homes in the County. The County's 75/25 initiative aims to recruit 75 new resource-family homes by 2025.
Program Manager Roxi Selck explained that resource parents temporarily house local youth.
“Being a resource parent means providing a loving, stable home for these youth while their families are working towards safety and taking care of whatever it is they need to take care of in order to welcome the child back into their home,” Selck said.
Selck said having more homes in different areas could allow children to live near their biological families.
SLO County currently has more than 300 childrenin foster care.
Since launching the 75/25 initiative a few weeks ago, SLO County has received four inquiries about new homes. Selck said these four new recruits are a big deal, since they usually see around 20 applications in a year.
“We’re really trying to bring awareness to the entire community, dispel the myths about foster care we hear often, [like] 'I have to be married;' 'I have to own a home;' 'I can't work full-time,' none of those things are true,” Selck said.
More information on how to sign up to be a resource parent is here.
