"A lot of them don't have what they can call home," says Megan Harbin, the treatment director of New Horizons, a local child placing agency.
Foster kids want to belong to a family just like you and I, but for kids in the Big Country it is getting harder and harder to find that.
Harbin says, "It's just the older teenagers that maybe have more emotional behavioral issues. We have a hard time finding homes for those kiddos and often times they end up outside of their community because of that."
Currently there are very few homes that handle the harder to manage teenagers in Abilene, forcing these kids to move to another location.
"Brownwood is the number one place probably. There's quit a number of foster homes down in that area," Harbin continues.
In additon to Brownwood, youth in the foster system also end up moving to the Wichita Falls area, Dallas Fort Worth, and even Houston.
"They're being first off removed from their home when they're brought into care," says Harbin.
Many of these kids have been in care for a while, so when they eventually find a home, it does not get much easier.
"They're having to leave friends and having to leave teachers that maybe they formed a bond with, maybe a special church or church home that they were attending," she says.
Once they are placed in another area, they lose those connections that were established and developed.
Harbin says, "It's just essentially another loss for these kiddos and they've gone through so much, it's hard to see them go through anymore unnecessary losses."
If more local families have it within their heart to share their love, the Big Country could potentially save these kids, one child at a time.
"If we could find some more people who are willing to help out these teens that would be a huge blessing and such a great asset to this community, to keep these kiddos in their home community and not have to relocate them and have them go through another loss," Harbin says.
To find out how you can help these kids find a local home, click this link.
Foster kids want to belong to a family just like you and I, but for kids in the Big Country it is getting harder and harder to find that.
Harbin says, "It's just the older teenagers that maybe have more emotional behavioral issues. We have a hard time finding homes for those kiddos and often times they end up outside of their community because of that."
Currently there are very few homes that handle the harder to manage teenagers in Abilene, forcing these kids to move to another location.
"Brownwood is the number one place probably. There's quit a number of foster homes down in that area," Harbin continues.
In additon to Brownwood, youth in the foster system also end up moving to the Wichita Falls area, Dallas Fort Worth, and even Houston.
"They're being first off removed from their home when they're brought into care," says Harbin.
Many of these kids have been in care for a while, so when they eventually find a home, it does not get much easier.
"They're having to leave friends and having to leave teachers that maybe they formed a bond with, maybe a special church or church home that they were attending," she says.
Once they are placed in another area, they lose those connections that were established and developed.
Harbin says, "It's just essentially another loss for these kiddos and they've gone through so much, it's hard to see them go through anymore unnecessary losses."
If more local families have it within their heart to share their love, the Big Country could potentially save these kids, one child at a time.
"If we could find some more people who are willing to help out these teens that would be a huge blessing and such a great asset to this community, to keep these kiddos in their home community and not have to relocate them and have them go through another loss," Harbin says.
To find out how you can help these kids find a local home, click this link.
