The process of placing a child in foster care is one of the most traumatizing experiences they can endure, and the consequences are long-lasting. Despite what some believe, children most often enter foster care due to neglect (often related to poverty) or loss of a parent—not abuse. Research shows that reunification of a child with their biological parent, when safe, is often the best solution.

However, the foster care system can make reunification exceedingly difficult when it displaces children several hours away from their biological family members, schools, friends, communities, and support systems. Between Nov. 2022 and Nov. 2023, as many as 179 children were displaced across the state of Idaho at a staggering cost of approximately $200,000 per month.

Even so, the financial burden pales in comparison to the personal and social consequences of uprooting a child from their support systems. Academic

performance can be deeply impacted, with less than X percent of youth impacted by foster care graduating high school. According to a study by the Juvenile Law Center, a staggering 90% of youth impacted by foster care will encounter the juvenile justice system before leaving child welfare in what has been coined as the “foster-care-to-prison pipeline.”

For children of Eastern Idaho, a unique but effective means of that support is now available through the launch of Idaho’s first chapter of Friends of the Children. They are an exciting national nonprofit organization that pairs youth facing the greatest obstacles with a paid, professional mentor called a “Friend” who stays with each child from as early as age 4 through high school graduation – 12+ years, no matter what.

Friends of the Children has an audacious goal: to reduce the number of 5-year-olds entering foster care by 10% by the year 2030. In early 2024, Friends of the Children-Eastern Idaho began partnering with the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare Child and Family Services, Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Head Start, and the American Falls School District. Together we seek out a select group of talented and big-dreaming youth who have also been impacted by foster care, economic instability, racism, parental substance abuse, and other traumatic events.

The program has begun in American Falls by pairing 16 young achievers with a Friend. Friends spend four hours a week with each of the eight children on their roster in school, at home, and in the community. As part of our program, we also implement a two-generation (2Gen) approach that supports youth and their parents/caregivers in achieving overall health and well-being.

While we proudly broker in hope, independent research also shows that our model can effectively break the cycle of poverty. Ninety-two percent go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country, or enter the workforce; 83% of program youth receive a high school diploma or GED; 93% remain free from juvenile justice system involvement, and 98% successfully wait to become parents until after their teens.

According to a report by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon, these impacts save the community $7 for every $1 invested. A study supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation validated that Friends of the Children builds social capital and positively impacts outcomes for the children enrolled in the program, and their parents. Friends provide parents with social support, share insights about their children, and connect them to community resources.

We are so grateful for the many local partners who worked hard to bring a chapter to Eastern Idaho. This includes Randy Jensen and the American Falls School District, Cambia Health, Intermountain Healthcare, The Silver Family Foundation, and the Echo Fund.

Every child deserves to be loved and to feel safe. The launch of Friends-Eastern Idaho is a big step forward in empowering youth who are facing life’s greatest obstacles. We are actively seeking volunteers, board members, partners, and donors in the American Falls/Pocatello region to join our new team. Learn more about our program at friendseasternidaho.org.