LAS VEGAS, Nev. (702 Times, NV Globe) – To address a critical shortage among foster families, Clark County is organizing emergency recruitment sessions to find homes prepared to take in infants.

There are hardly any baby-specific foster homes available in Clark County. 30 children under the age of six, and 16 under the age of two, are housed at Child Haven. We haven’t seen a figure this large in years, Murano said. When there are no available foster homes, children are housed in Child Haven.

“In most areas of the country, they don’t struggle with recruitment of foster parents for those younger children. That is an anomaly that we have that issue here. We don’t know if it’s related to maybe issues around daycare. If it’s related to issues around the 24/7 nature of our community?” she said.

The majority of the more over 3,300 kids in foster care in Clark County can stay with a relative, but 684 foster families are open to taking in additional kids. Clark County’s Jill Murano claims that up to 400 more dwellings are required.

“It’s the lack of regular foster homes that’s really creating this crisis,” she said, noting that there are not more children or babies coming into the system.

Murano said that hundreds of families have opted out of the foster program in the last two years, and she and others believe that this is because being a foster parent has become more difficult as a result of inflation or employment difficulties. More state money may offer incentives or lessen the financial load on families, it is hoped.

Clark County is hosting a two-week compressed training for families to address the lack of baby foster homes. The initial session begins on January 27. The average course is nine weeks long. Call (702) 455-0181 to reach the infant foster care recruitment office.

Credits: FOX 5 VEGAS

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