Shortage Of Foster Parents In Iceland

The number of foster children that need to be placed in foster homes is increasing, meanwhile, the number of foster parents is decreasing, reports RÚV.

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At the end of last year, more than 420 children were in foster care, which is 200 more than ten years ago. Director of the Centre for Children and Families, Ólöf Ásta Farestveit, says that there is a need for foster parents across the country, but especially needed in the capital area.

“We are looking for all families who have both financial and social stability, but first and foremost, parents of all kinds who can give the children the care they need,” says Ólöf.

There is a particular need for parents who can take in children with high care needs. The number of applicants for foster parents who can meet these needs is more than double what it was 10 years ago.

“These kids are the best in the world,” says a foster parent. “They are always teaching us something, much more than we are teaching them.”

The aim of placing a child in foster care is that the child will eventually be able to return to their biological parents.

To become a foster parent, potential parents need to attend a five-day course and complete a skills assessment. The Centre for Children and Families has launched a social media campaign to encourage people to become foster care parents.