National Foster Care Month

Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Dec 22, 2023 By Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Originally Published on Mar 09, 2022
Fact-checked by Niyati Parab
National Foster Care Month celebrates and honors the foster care homes that help significantly with adoption!

Where is National Foster Care Month celebrated?

This month is celebrated all across the country of America to raise awareness about the well-being and support of foster families.

Who is National Foster Care Month celebrated by?

It is celebrated by all who want to show gratitude to the foster care homes and support the foster youth by being volunteers at such child welfare facilities.

When did National Foster Care Month first start?

This month first started back in 1988 to support child welfare organizations and provide children without birth parents with permanent homes with foster parents and show support to every foster care facility helping people in need.

Who started National Foster Care Month?

The U.S. President in 1988, Ronald Reagan, was the first one to designate the month of May as the National Foster Care Month.

History And Timeline

Foster care organizations have come a long way, and there is a detailed history of their development that changed the lives of many across the nation.

First Foster Child

A boy called Benjamin Eaton became the first recorded foster kid at just seven years of age, spurring efforts to build proper foster care.

1636

Foster Home Movement

Becoming heartbroken seeing abandoned children sleeping on the streets of New York, Charles Loring Brace was known to start the Foster Home Movement to provide the homeless with shelter and families by creating the Children's Aid Society.

1853

The Children's Bureau Conceptualized

Lilian Wald and Florence Kelly put efforts into drawing a bill to set up the first federal agency to support children and youth welfare.

1903

Creation Of Children's Bureau

U.S. President Roosevelt got involved and supported the initiative, which led to the formal establishment of the bureau.

1912

Social Security Bill

Katherine Lenroot and Martha Eliot of the Children's Bureau took initiatives for the Social Security Bill to support the bureau's programs to help the children and youth with their resources.

1935

Traditions And Customs

The Children's Bureau celebrates Foster Care Month by offering its services and resources to the children in need and sometimes tries to reunite the foster youth with their birth parents by raising awareness and recognition programs.

People also celebrate this month by showing gratitude to their foster parents or children and helping families and children in need of child welfare programs get involved with the necessary organizations.

Ways to Observe Or Celebrate National Foster Care Month

All across the country, human services organizations and the Children's Bureau hold events that support child welfare activities and bring intimacy among several foster parents who play a critical role in these communities.

You can make gifts and cards for your foster parents as a celebration and put efforts into making foster care organizations more known that can help the well-being of the children and the youth.

There are no particular limitations for the celebration of this month as long it never causes a public disturbance.

As a National Foster Care Month celebration, you can even share stories of support between foster parents and birth ones.

Facts And Stats

  • The National Foster Care Month is May.
  • The day started in 1988.
  • There are more than 55,000 foster youth and children in California alone. National Foster Care Month is a time to recognize the youth and children in foster care and the volunteers, foster parents, family members, policymakers, and child welfare professionals, who help them find permanent homes and connections.

What are the limitations of celebrating National Foster Care Month?

There are no particular limitations for the celebration of this month as long it never causes a public disturbance.

What are some events related to National Foster Care Month?

 Some events related to National Foster Care Month are volunteering, encouraging adoption, spreading awareness to help the youth, and celebrating the foster parents and the love and care they provide within customized and personal ways.

Who encouraged the celebration of National Foster Care Month?

Beginning with President Reagan, this month's celebration was further encouraged by the Children's Bureau in the USA.

Who invented the concept of National Foster Care Month?

 The U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, in 1988 was the first one to designate the month of May as the National Foster Care Month.

When Is This Day Celebrated

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    Written by Rajnandini Roychoudhury

    Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

    Rajnandini Roychoudhury picture

    Rajnandini RoychoudhuryBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

    With a Master of Arts in English, Rajnandini has pursued her passion for the arts and has become an experienced content writer. She has worked with companies such as Writer's Zone and has had her writing skills recognized by publications such as The Telegraph. Rajnandini is also trilingual and enjoys various hobbies such as music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading classic British literature. 

    Read full bio >
    Fact-checked by Niyati Parab

    Bachelor of Commerce

    Niyati Parab picture

    Niyati ParabBachelor of Commerce

    With a background in digital marketing, Niyati brings her expertise to ensure accuracy and authenticity in every piece of content. She has previously written articles for MuseumFacts, a history web magazine, while also handling its digital marketing. In addition to her marketing skills, Niyati is fluent in six languages and has a Commerce degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University. She has also been recognized for her public speaking abilities, holding the position of Vice President of Education at the Toastmasters Club of Pune, where she won several awards and represented the club in writing and speech contests at the area level.

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