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Every child deserves to live in a secure and nurturing home environment. As parents, we strive to give our children the discipline, guidance and compassion they need to mature into responsible adults. Unfortunately, for various reasons, there are times when it's not safe or feasible for children to live with their birth family.

Foster parents provide a valuable community service in Oswego County by opening their homes to children in need. It would be very difficult to serve children and families in crisis without foster parents and the services they so unselfishly provide.

Children are removed from their home and placed in foster care when parents are unable to care for them, when there are abuse or neglect concerns, and when parents need rehabilitation for alcohol and substance abuse problems. Many children are placed in foster care as a result of juvenile delinquency and behavioral or emotional issues.

The Oswego County Department of Social Services recruits and trains families who can provide a safe and stable home environment for children in their care. There are about 70 foster families in Oswego County. They play a critical role. They assist the agency in meeting its mission to promote safety, permanency and well being for the children entrusted to the care of the department.

Whenever possible, the goal is to reunite the child with his or her birth family. Most children are in foster care for less than a year.

Although children may be placed in foster care from birth on through age 18, the average age of foster children in Oswego County is 12 or 13. There are about 150 children in foster care at any given time, with about 80 living in foster homes in our own communities. Others live in residential or congregate care facilities outside of Oswego County. This makes it difficult for children to maintain frequent contact with their birth family, and for the family to work on resolving the issues that led to foster care placement.

In general, the further away from home that a child is placed, the longer their stay in foster care. If more foster homes were available, more children could live in homes in Oswego County.

The Department of Social Services is always looking for families in Oswego County to provide foster care, especially for families that can care for adolescents, large sibling groups, and children with emotional or behavioral problems.

Twice a year, the department offers a training program for people who wish to become foster or adoptive parents. The program lasts for 11 weeks. People who are interested in learning more about foster parenting don't have to wait until the next training session, which starts in the fall. They may call the Department of Social Services at anytime at 598-4642, extension 46; 963-5534; or 963-5373.

To show our appreciation to our foster parents, I have signed a proclamation designating May as Foster Care Month in Oswego County. The Department of Social Services will recognize our foster parents at a special dinner May 21. On behalf of the department and the many families that they serve, I thank our foster parents for the devoted guidance they provide to children in Oswego County. They truly make a difference in our community.