WHEREAS, 1,073 children and young people are currently in foster care in Hennepin County; and
WHEREAS, National Foster Care Month is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau each May; and
WHEREAS, both relative and nonrelative foster parents support Hennepin County’s mission to promote the safety, stability, healthy development, and well-being of our youngest residents; and
WHEREAS, Black and American Indian children are dramatically overrepresented in foster care, a racial disparity that deserves our most urgent attention; and
WHEREAS, children and youth in foster care deserve excellent parenting, opportunities to learn and grow, and support from trauma informed and culturally specific approaches; and
WHEREAS, when children must be separated from their parents, placement with relatives or kin can reduce trauma and help children maintain a sense of family, belonging, and identity; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, 69.2% of all days Hennepin County children spent in foster care were spent with a relative or kin, demonstrating the care families have for each other and the county’s commitment to placement with relatives; and
WHEREAS, nonrelative foster providers are a key part of the teams supporting children and reunifying families, caring for kids and then helping them transition safely back home or to the care of a relative; and
WHEREAS, many agencies, professionals, volunteers, partners and people with lived experience in our community dedicate their expertise and time to supporting young people in foster care, and helping them transition well to adulthood; therefore