Taking children out of their homes and placing them with foster families is supposed to be a last resort. But even Oregon, with a relatively small population, has thousands of children in foster care.
Governor Kate Brown declared May Foster Care Month in Oregon, to put some focus on the reasons for foster care, the people who provide it, and the need for more people to get involved helping children get to a better day.
The state especially wants more relatives to get involved in foster care.
We learn more in a visit with Aprille Flint-Gerner, the Deputy Director of Equity, Training, and Workforce Development in the Child Welfare division with Oregon Department of Human Services.