Every child deserves a family. But not every home provides a safe place for kids. When the worst happens, Idaho’s foster care program can help kids find a safe place. Sometimes, the headlines paint a dark picture of foster care. But in recent months, we’ve seen the stories shift from the negative to the positive as we focus our efforts on improving support for Idaho kids and families.

During the last legislative session, we passed a law limiting the time children can be placed in short-term rentals or congregate care without regular review by the department director. Today, all children in Idaho’s foster care system have a place that fits their needs. But we still have more work to do.

The last session also included legislation to create an independent ombudsman to oversee the foster care program. Children, families and caregivers must know they have the resources to protect their interests outside the department. We can ensure that everyone who connects with foster care feels heard, seen, and protected from harm.

Beyond these changes, the work continues to improve the overall system. Right now, efforts are underway to increase family placements, add new foster families and provide other support services to help kids requiring targeted care. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but many good women and men are working hard to increase the options for kids and families.

Our priority remains reuniting families, but we also recognize that it may not work in every situation. Sometimes, struggling adults can’t overcome their challenges, even with intervention and support. The safety of the kids must come first. When their families can’t provide that environment, we need to create opportunities for kids to find stable and secure places to call home.

First, we can start by looking for new ways to increase the odds of placement success and decrease the number of moves a child must make. Part of that potential success depends on how well we support foster parents. Have we focused on helping kids or demanding folks navigate red tape?

Second, when circumstances make family separation permanent, we need to assist kids with finding their forever home. We’ve made some improvements to our adoption laws. We must continue to review them to reduce the burden on families willing to open their homes. The process should make it as easy as possible for caring families who meet our high standards to expand their families.

Finally, no matter how children end up in the foster care program, we can’t stop looking for ways to help Idaho children and families. Children don’t choose to end up in difficult conditions. As the adults in their lives, we must step up and prioritize the most vulnerable who often can’t speak up for themselves.