Foster Care Crisis

Kim Wilkins doesn’t like the negative stigma she says is placed on foster children.

“They need love,” Wilkins says, “and unfortunately society see’s a foster child as troubled children.”

Wilkins adopted 3 children from foster care, 9 year old Melaina, 7 year old Denny, and 4 year old Allie. Allie has Cerebal Palsy, she’s partially blind and needs nurses care 10 hours a day.

Wilkins is an advocate for special needs children like Allie, who she says often times are overlooked.

“I’m forty-six and I don’t know if I have time to get old, she makes me feel like life is worth living. she’s what gets me up in the mornings.” Wilkins says.

Julie Steinbeck is the director for foster care services in New Hanover County. She says our region desperately need more foster care parents.

-Onslow County has 300 foster kids with only 36 foster parents.
-Brunswick County has 138 foster kids with about 40 foster parents.
-New Hanover County has 353 foster kids with 106 foster parents.
-Pender County has 91 foster kids with 70 parents.
-Bladen County has 34 foster kids and 20 parents.

Steinbeck says all types of families are encouraged to become foster parents.

“There’s really not one cookie cutter family that’s appropriate, we need different kinds of families to come forward and take in the different kinds of children that we have.”

Wilkins says foster kids just want to be loved.

“You just gotta open your heart and your home and your mind up to them because they want to be loved and that’s what it involves having a family and someone to love you.”

There is a screening process and training that you have to go through to be certified as a foster parent.

If you’re interested contact you local Department of Social Services.

New Hanover County DSS: 798-3488

Columbus County DSS: 642-2800

Brunswick County DSS: 253-2077

Pender County DSS: 259-1240

Bladen County DSS: 862-6800

Onslow County DSS: 989-0230