LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Allen County Children Services is looking for potential foster parents.
Two foster parents and two Children Services staff members set up outside Our Town Roast in downtown Lima on Saturday morning to educate people about how to apply to be a foster parent. The agency first tries to place a child with a family member, but if none are available, foster parents are needed to provide a stable living situation for the child. It is possible for children to be adopted by their foster family, but on average, they only remain in a foster home for around 6-12 months.
"When it comes to children coming into agency care, the goal is absolutely reunification first. We're constantly working with those families to get that child placed back with their biological family of some sort, so that way they can remain with family," said Samuel Hall, a licensing specialist at Allen County Children Services.
If anyone had questions about the experience of taking care of a foster child, the two experienced foster parents were there to give their perspectives.
"We both learn from each other, and we grow together in the whole process. It's a big learning experience. It makes me see different aspects of life that I wouldn't normally see and understand other things that I wouldn't normally understand or take the time to understand," explained Melissa Creps, who has been fostering for three years.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, you can visit their website to learn more about how to apply.
