In Freeborn County, 25 households are different than the rest. They care not only for those in their own family, but also for other children in need.

They are foster families, and according to Freeborn County Foster Care Licenser Rene Melendez, they fulfill an important need for vulnerable kids at a crucial time.

“These foster parents take care of these children at their time of great need by providing them a home, a family, and a nurturing environment, as well as a learning environment,” Melendez said.

The county is working to shine a light on the work done by foster parents and educate the public about their role in May, which is Foster Care Month in Minnesota. An appreciation banquet is planned May 8 for local foster families.

Their own parenting experience isn’t often enough for foster parents to handle the demands of the children placed in their care. Many of them have suffered emotional or physical abuse or neglect, and their development may be behind other children their age because of circumstances or physical disability.

Because of these challenges, foster parents are required to complete 30 hours of training when they are first licensed and a minimum of 12 hours of training per year after that. Foster families are also subject to a detailed home study to determine if they are suited for foster care.

They must also be realistic about their role, Melendez said.

While it’s common for inexperienced foster parents to see themselves as saviors for troubled kids, the reality is that the children would usually prefer to stay in their homes. Indeed, under most circumstances, the agency’s goal is to reunite the children with their parents after the situation at home has been righted, Melendez said.

In Minnesota, approximately 78 percent of children in foster care reunite with their birth parents or other relatives, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MDHS).

“Foster parents often provide support to birth parents while children are in foster care and after they return home,” said Eric Sullivan Sutton, director of child safety and permanency for MDHS.

While some people view the social services agency as a force that breaks up families, Melendez said children are removed only as a last resort. Counseling services and other efforts are used first, and usually kids are placed in foster care only if those devices fail, he said.

While there isn’t a serious shortage of foster parents in the county in terms of raw numbers, Melendez said more homes are always needed so the agency can match children’s needs with the best foster-care situation. If a placement doesn’t work out and the child must be moved to a new home, it only increases the stress and the level of uncertainty for the child, Melendez said.

The state as a whole is most in need of more foster homes for adolescents and sibling groups, according to MDHS.

Those with questions about foster care can contact Melendez at 377-5488.