The Heritage Foundation, a top conservative Washington think tank, has issued a significant report on the U.S. foster system. It is substantive, well-researched and thoughtful. And even individuals who might disagree with some of its proposal are bound to see the significance of a think tank with the clout of the Heritage Foundation taking the needs of foster youth so seriously.
Overall, the report is hopeful, and centers that hope in the right place: caring families and church communities. As its intro message describes, “American families and religious institutions can have an enormous role in ensuring fewer children slip through the holes in the vast foster care safety net. For every child currently waiting to be adopted, there are 500 married households and three religious institutions in America. Faith-based institutions like Christian Alliance for Orphans and Wait No More are already helping to connect foster children with permanent, loving homes. Federal, state, and local governments should partner with similar private and faith-based organizations to encourage and facilitate adoptions among these groups to ensure that more children can grow up in stable families.”
See the synopsis of the report and read the full report here.