KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Every month dozens of children who are waiting to be placed in a new home sometimes sleep in a caseworker’s office. A new partnership will change that.
"We watch our children when they are in the offices, but that is not our goal. It never has been," said Vice President for Behavioral Health Operations at KVC Hospitals, Bobby Eklofe .
More than 7,000 children are in Kansas foster care. Depending on the circumstance, a child could wait a while to find a home.
A lot has changed in the last couple months. In nearly 30 days, a child has not had to sleep in a caseworker office in the Kansas City, Kansas area.
“A facility like ours is critical and even though we all want kids to be in family homes. That is not always possible,” said Carla Dresher CEO of Blue Door Project.
Blue Door Project has shelters for boys and girls in the KCK community.
So if a child is waiting, a bed is where they can lay their head and not on an office desk.
"Kids obviously deserve more and our agency is here to help the youth but to help the state and the contractors," said Dresher.
Some of the children waiting on homes have experienced traumatic events.
While they wait, trained professionals will give them the specific care they need.
"A lot of kids we work with have been broken down, I don't know what else to say and we have to help rebuild them. Giving them to coping skills to live with the trauma and move forward," said Eklofe .
There is still a very long wait list OF foster children waiting to be taken in.
If you would like to volunteer or become a foster parent, follow this link.
