Foster ICT focused on improving foster parent retention
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita nonprofit is taking steps to improve foster parent retention, as there are over 5,500 kids in foster care throughout the state.
Nathan Paulus, a co-founder of Foster ICT, moved to Wichita to start Radiant church. He didn't know much about fostering until a member invited him to go to work. It was a visit that would put the needs of fostering into perspective.
'To see kids who didn't have placements on office floors, to see no involvement in churches or from the church community involved. Just all the needs were just piling up,' Paulus said.
This called him to help.
'We started calling every agency and saying, like, 'hey, if you need something, call us. I don't know what that might be, but if you need something, call us,'' Paulus said.
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It led him to launch the nonprofit which focuses on foster parent retention
'Kids in care who have five or more placements within their length of foster care are, I think it's 90% likely to spend time in the justice system. Sedgwick County averages eight per kid,' he said.
The volunteers at Foster ICT offer support through events like their 'Hope and a Future' party.
'I was like, hey, what if we can throw one big party for every foster kid in our city,' he said. 'Christmas is a very difficult time for foster kids because they're out of their home, different memories, different things associated with it and a lot of Christmas in the foster care world is just designed for the kid, not the foster parents and kids to interact all as one whole family.'
They also put together door drops.
'It's like doorbell ditching with like a blessing feel to it. So, it's normally around like $200 to $300 worth of stuff,' Paulus said.
Plus, they run an SOS support line and more.
'The work isn't easy, but the resources should be easily available, and kids should feel like the community is wrapping around them,' Paulus said.
Foster ICT is doing what it can to shine a light of hope for foster kids and parents. The nonprofit has a list of ways to help that do not involve becoming a foster parent. To find out more, click here.
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