Foster care recruiter urges local recruitment to keep children in Wichita County
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Summary
Tracy Roberts, a foster care recruiter for Texas Family Initiative, told the council there are about 35,000 children in out‑of‑home placement statewide and 111 children removed in Wichita County, only 30 of whom remain in the county; she asked civic groups and churches to help recruit foster families.
Wichita Falls, Texas — Tracy Roberts, a foster care recruiter for Texas Family Initiative, used the July 15 public comment period to ask local civic groups, churches and residents to consider fostering so more children can remain in Wichita County rather than being placed out of county.
“Currently, in the state, we have approximately 35,000 children that are in out of home placement, and only about 11,000 of those kids have a foster home that they are in,” Roberts said. She told council that in Wichita County 111 children have been removed from their homes and only 30 — roughly 27% — remain within the county while the other 81 have been placed elsewhere.
Roberts said reunification with families is the agency's primary goal and that her agency provides outreach and education; she left informational packets and a QR code for council and offered to speak to local organizations. “Our goal is to keep the kids within their county, within their home area, so that they can remain in their school, so that they can remain with their friends, and that they can have easy access to family visitation,” Roberts said.
Council received the information; no formal action was taken at the meeting. Roberts asked the council to help spread the word and invited staff and civic groups to contact her for presentations and collaboration.
