With more than 850 children in the custody of Summit County Children Services (SCCS) and only about 130 foster homes in Summit County, the agency is currently reporting a foster care crisis.
When a child’s home is not a safe option, SCCS prioritizes placing the child with someone who has a meaningful relationship with them — typically family members. When this isn’t possible, the agency’s goal is to place the child in a licensed foster home as close as possible to the location of their family home so that they can maintain a sense of familiarity, such as being close to extended family and friends and attending the same school.
Akron Documenter Rebecca Ritterspach discovered this story at the Oct 27 Summit County Council meeting.
According to SCCS’s 2024 impact report, though, 53.4% of children were placed in group homes or outside of Summit County because of the shortage of foster homes and the growing number of children in custody.
Children in need of homes on the increase
Ann Ream, SCCS’s director of community relations, said via email that at the end of 2020, there were 764 children in the agency’s care — in 2015, there were 622 children.
At a Ward 10 meeting in October, Sandy DeLuca, SCCS’ community relations supervisor, said that some children end up being placed in Columbus, Cincinnati or Toledo because there aren’t enough available foster homes in the immediate area.
Ream said the agency’s goal is to increase the number of certified foster families by at least 100. SCCS hosts one or two virtual information meetings every month for anyone interested in becoming a foster parent to learn more about the process, the agency and the children and families it serves.
Additional outreach to find more people interested in becoming foster parents, particularly in the ZIP codes with the highest number of removals, has included:
- Presenting at several Akron ward meetings.
- Attending high school football games to pass out information about foster care.
- Leaving information cards at businesses.
- Partnering with Love Akron to host a Foster Care Forum to connect SCCS with the faith community.
Summit County Council recently adopted a resolution to support National Adoption Day on Nov. 22 to raise awareness of the need for permanent families for children in foster care.
GET STARTED HERE: Anyone wanting to learn more about becoming a foster parent can register for a foster care and adoption information meeting. SCCS’s website also offers answers to frequently asked questions. Questions? Reach out to Adoption and Foster Care Inquiry Line at 330-379-1990 or emailing Summit-PCSA-inquiry@summitkids.org.
What is the difference between foster care and adoption?
Foster care is a temporary living situation for children who are unable to live with their parents or primary caregivers due to abuse, neglect or other unsafe conditions.
SCCS’s primary goal with foster care is to work toward permanent solutions to reunify parents with their children when possible. When reunification is not possible, children can become available for adoptive placement.
Adoption is a legal process that allows committed adults to become parents to children not born to them.
Children in SCCS’s permanent custody are often adopted by their foster parents. To adopt a child through SCCS, a person must first become a licensed foster parent or foster-to-adopt parent.
What is the role of a foster parent?
Foster parents provide a safe and nurturing home for children who have been removed from their home.
Foster parents work with SCCS to meet the child’s needs and work with the birth family to help them in their efforts to reunify.
Who can become a foster parent in Summit County?
Those interested in becoming a foster parent in Summit County must be at least 18 years old and can be married, single, divorced, widowed or be a co-parent.
Foster parents can own or rent their home and can be employed or a stay-at-home parent. There is no income requirement, but the foster parent must be able to meet their current household needs.
SCCS can license foster homes in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne counties, but it primarily focuses on licensing homes in Summit County. Anyone who lives outside these Ohio counties should contact the children services agency in their respective county or state.
What is the process for becoming a licensed foster parent or foster-to-adopt parent in Summit County?
Summit County Children Services has a multi-step process for becoming a licensed foster parent or foster-to-adopt parent:
- Attend an information meeting. The agency offers monthly virtual information meetings where you can learn more about the process and SCCS.
- Attend pre-service training. Pre-service training includes 15 meetings that are offered online or in person. Topics include the caregiver role and responsibilities, overview and impact of trauma, partnering with the primary family and child, and adolescent development.
If you are married or want to co-parent, you and your partner must each create an account in the agency’s Child & Adult Protective Services Learning Management System. - Submit an application and complete a background check. The application will require completing paperwork and providing copies of documents. All adult members of the household will need to complete a background check (at no cost to the applicant) and be fingerprinted by SCCS. You’ll also need to complete a mandatory one-hour virtual policy and procedure training with a SCCS staff member.
- Complete the home review process. A licensing specialist will make visits to your home and conduct interviews with all family members age four and older. The licensing specialist will also complete a safety audit of your home.
Once a home review is successfully completed, SCCS will recommend the applicant for certification and they will become certified for foster care with an approval for adoption in the State of Ohio.
How long does it take to become a licensed foster parent?
The entire process can take anywhere from six to eight months, depending on how quickly an applicant completes the training. The home review typically takes three to six months to complete.
How long is the foster parent license good for?
A foster home license is good for two years. During that time period, foster parents are required to complete 40 hours of ongoing training. SCCS offers the training at no charge.
What kind of assistance does SCCS offer to foster parents?
Foster parents receive a monthly reimbursement check from SCCS for the care of each child. Additional funding is available for clothing and personal care items, school-related expenses and child care assistance, if needed.
Medical care is provided for children in foster care at Akron Children’s Hospital.
Additionally, SCCS provides personal support by assigning a foster home coordinator to each foster home. They also provide regular support group meetings for foster parents.
What age of children has the greatest need for foster care?
The largest percentage of children coming into SCCS’s custody fall into three groups. This includes children from birth to age two, children ages 12 and older, and groups of three or more siblings.
Over 90% of children in SCCS’s permanent custody are ages 12 and older.