TULSA, Okla. — There’s an urgent need for foster parents who care for children with special needs.
Nearly one in 10 foster children are eligible for Development Disabilities Services (DDS).
“They are a part of our family now, and they will always be,” said Sherry McGee.
On vacation or just everyday life, Sherry McGee said Christy and Lauren are her girls, as much a part of her family as her biological children.
“I couldn’t imagine life without them,” said McGee. “I really couldn’t.”
Since 1999, McGee has been a foster mom and Christy and Lauren have been by her side nearly 25 years.
“They’re a blessing,” said McGee. “It’s what God wants me to do."
They both have special needs and while they’ve found their home, there’s a growing number of children who still need one.
“The need for foster is unreal,” said McGee. “They need foster parents desperately.”
“We have a very special population that we are out there serving and meeting their needs,” said Lindsey Jones.
Lindsey Jones manages the specialized foster care program under DDS.
As the agency works to eliminate its 13-year waitlist for services, they’re identifying more children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who need a specialized foster home.
Of the roughly 5,000 children in need of foster homes, about 450 of them qualify for DDS.
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It’s nearly 10% of the foster care population, but they only have 70 specialized foster care families across the state.
“You can see that we have a large gap in meeting this need,” said Jones.
As they get the word out, specialized foster parents, like McGee, are encouraging others to meet the need.
“To know that you’re taking a child in and making a difference in their lives,” said McGee. “That’s the purpose of this to give them a better life that they would’ve never had.”
To become a specialized foster care parent, applicants must:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be able to stay at home as a “professional parent”
- Submit information for background checks and fingerprints
- Complete training prior to approval as a specialized foster care parent and yearly training thereafter
- Participate in a home study
- Provide an individual bedroom for each person served
For more information visit here.
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