Tulsa Advocates for the Protection of Children (dba Fostering Connections)

PROJECT PURPOSE

The mission of Fostering Connections is to improve the lives of children and youth in Oklahoma's child welfare system by providing resources and building community. Our organization is focused on offering necessary and other items to children involved in the state's child welfare system to assist them in maintaining a sense of normalcy after experiencing significant trauma. Funding for this particular project, OK Foster Wishes, will gift children in state's custody throughout Oklahoma via an application process with support for non-essential items such as enrollment fees for camp participation, costs for extra-curricular activities, support for training, among others. Due to the financial hardship the pandemic has created for many families across the state of Oklahoma, it is more challenging than ever to provide normalcy to a child in foster care. Foster parents are reimbursed approximately $20 a day less than the cost to raise a typical child in the United States. This huge discrepancy, along with the additional time and costs required to help children in foster care, can cause the family significant financial and emotional stress. Due to this stress and additional trauma, the child could be prevented from reaching a level of normalcy and could hinder success in adulthood.

EVIDENCE

The Alliance for Children's Rights specifies the importance of children in foster care maintaining a level of normalcy, which includes participating in school activities, sports, extra-curricular activities, etc. The prudent parent standard is also discussed, which allows the caregiver more flexibility in supporting the children in their care participating in activities at school and with friends.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

All foster families across the state of Oklahoma are welcome to apply for support through this effort. All children in foster care are considered low-income and cannot fend for themselves, therefore the foster families are required to pay out of pocket, with the help of the stipend through OKDHS, to support and normalize the life of the children in foster care. Foster families were not excluded from the financial impacts of the pandemic, as the financial strain on foster families was already great. Many foster families across the state, especially in rural areas, suffered significant loss of income and additional financial strain during the pandemic.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Through an online application form, foster families throughout the state of Oklahoma will request funds for the children in their care to receive or participate in non-essential items or programs. Surveys and feedback from participants and/or foster families will be requested in order to improve and make positive changes to the program.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma