Invest in Foster Families for Stronger Communities

“I just remember there being this file.”

At a community meeting in Van Buren, Arkansas, Steven Franklin recalls the years he spent in foster care. One of the things that stuck with him was the inescapable feeling of growing up in foster care, that it defined him.

“When I reflect back now, there was something about that file that I felt contained to what was in there...I never got a blank slate. The way that thing followed me around was very limiting.”

That file represented more than paperwork. It reflected a system that can define children by their past instead of their potential. For many, it represents a foster care experience that is too often fragmented, reactive, and isolated.

When systems operate in isolation, instability follows—multiple placements, disrupted relationships, and limited continuity for children already navigating trauma.

Melanie Allen, Executive Director of CASA of Crawford County, describes the reality many children face:

“These foster kids are being thrown from place to place. Its chaos.”

That instability disrupts the present and too often, it shapes the future. Steven Franklin speaks to the long-term impact:

“There are literally things that I am just now recognizing that I got to deal with because I was in survival mode for most of my upbringing.”

In addition to removing a child from harm, there is an urgency to address the patterns that led there in the first place.

Laura Caldwell, Founder of New Start for Children & Families, sees this reality firsthand through her work supporting families working toward reunification.

“They only know what they know," she says of the bio parents who are struggling to break cycles for their kids, "and they only know what they were raised up in.”

Without intentional support, those patterns repeat. Intervention must extend beyond crisis response—it must include restoration, stability, and long-term support.

And as Franklin reminds us, this issue is not distant or isolated:

“This is not just an isolated those-people-them problem.”

It is a reflection of the health of the entire community and everyone needs to have an awareness and a role in improving these systems.

Caldwell highlights a growing challenge in Arkansas, noting that many caregivers are stepping in suddenly—without resources, guidance, or connections. Children are often taken in by relatives—grandparents, aunts, and uncles—who are unprepared and unsupported, frequently fearful of involvement with DCFS and unsure where to begin.

The true purpose of the system comes into focus: the goal of foster care is not placement—it is restoration.

Greg Steinsiek of Arkansas Department of Human Services reflects on how his understanding of that goal has evolved. What once felt abstract has now become central to the work:

“Reunification is the key and the purpose of what we are all doing.”

Reunification requires rebuilding stability, relationships, and trust—often from the ground up.

“It takes everyone in this room and everyone outside of this room to make reunification happen," Steinsiek says, admitting that systems alone fall short and community is essential.

One of the biggest barriers to community involvement is discomfort. Many people feel unequipped to step into the foster care space, unsure of what to say or do.

Franklin challenges that hesitation directly:

“We need to save space to be ignorant."

Supporting foster care begins with a willingness to learn—by listening, asking questions, and valuing the voices of those with lived experience.

Steinsiek reinforces that posture:

“We learn the most from those that have been through things.”

No single person or system has all the answers. But together, communities can grow in understanding and effectiveness.

“Foster care isn't meant to be this island for do-gooders," Andrew Ramsey, NW Regional Outreach Coordinator with Every Child Arkansas attests. "Its really meant to be this thing where the whole village wraps around you.”

Without that support, the burden becomes overwhelming.

“A lot of people get out of foster care because they feel isolated.”

The solution is not simply recruiting more foster families—it is building stronger systems of support around the ones who say yes.

"Go and find a foster family," Ramsey challenges. "Invest in a foster family."

Support can take many forms—meals, respite care, encouragement, or simply consistent presence. These small acts create stability not only for foster parents, but for the children in their care.

For Franklin, those moments of stability made a lasting difference. Feeling normal, being treated like any other child, and experiencing everyday routines helped restore a sense of belonging for him.

If foster care reflects a community challenge, then the response must also be communal.

Franklin emphasizes the need to widen the circle, calling for more people—especially those outside the system—to engage in these conversations and solutions.

Ramsey echoes that call with practical pathways for involvement. Even those who cannot foster can help make it easier for someone else to say yes.

That includes:

• Employers offering additional PTO or flexibility for foster families

• Healthcare professionals taking a deeper interest in children in care

• Schools and teachers serving as consistent, trusted adults

• Community members providing respite care

• Faith communities and nonprofits meeting tangible needs

Each role strengthens the network of care.

Greg Steinsiek acknowledges that foster care has long carried a stigma—but he challenges the community to reframe it:

“The words foster care should not come with a 'black eye.' It should come with 'what can I do.'”

That shift—from hesitation to action—is where meaningful change begins.