Positive Parenting Can Lead to Thriving Children

Opening Up About Mental Health

Being a foster parent is challenging, and it’s not talked about enough. The weight of this responsibility can be immense. Here at Kamali’i, we are dedicated to supporting you because we understand how crucial your well-being is to the children in your care.

Recognizing mental health issues can be tough. Sometimes, children and parents alike may not realize they are struggling. It’s important to have open conversations about mental health. You can help a child access the mental health services they need, such as counseling and therapy, connecting them with someone who can share coping strategies to deal with their trauma. This not only benefits the children but also alleviates stress for parents. Everyone, including foster parents, deserves to speak to a professional.

By fostering an environment where mental health is openly discussed, we can normalize these conversations and reduce the stigma around seeking help. Regular check-ins and creating a safe space for children to express their feelings can make a significant difference. Encouraging activities like mindfulness, journaling, and physical exercise can also be beneficial. Addressing mental health isn’t just about responding to crises and building resilience and coping skills that will serve both children and parents throughout their lives. Prioritizing mental health helps create a supportive and nurturing environment that promotes healing and growth for everyone involved.

Out of the 400,000 young people in foster care in the United States, 80% have mental health issues. This is a striking percentage compared to the 20% of non-foster children with mental health issues. These challenges often stem from factors beyond the child’s control, such as issues at home, constant change and stress, and past abuse or neglect. When children age out of the foster care system, many are unsure how to seek the help they need while learning to live independently. This can be heavy on a parent’s heart, but we see you and want to help. Kamali’i is here to lift some of that weight.

Foster Parents Are Strong!

From anxiety disorders to other mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, mental illness rates are a significant challenge for all youth and parents in foster care today. Our experiences impact our mental health, and this is especially true for young children and youth in foster care. Parents, it may feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world trying to support your child’s mental health. One thing is certain: you need to be mentally healthy to help them.

Have you ever been on a plane and heard the instructions to “put your oxygen mask on first before helping others”? If you are run down and your mental state is low, how can you help your child? The goal of the foster care system is to remain positive: to reunite children with their families or find permanent placements for them when that isn’t possible. But even with good intentions, it can be a challenging experience for children, youth, and the families that support them.

Being separated from your family is said to be more detrimental to your mental health than living in poverty. Having to leave your home and family members without knowing when you’ll return is confusing and scary—moving from place to place while in the system affects a child’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Before a child enters foster care, they’ve likely already experienced trauma. Most children are removed from their homes due to dangerous situations like neglect and abuse. All these adverse childhood experiences affect a youth’s mental well-being. They must get the mental health resources they need to work through their trauma and live healthy lives. We salute the parents who take on these challenges.

How Is the Problem Being Resolved?

It may be one of those situations where the problem may never feel fully resolved. Life brings daily challenges, and we must be kind to ourselves to be kind to our children. It’s known that children in foster care have mental health issues that desperately need attention. Unfortunately, not enough is being done to fix the problem.

States are supposed to address the needs of foster care youth to ensure they receive the care they need. However, 91% of states are not meeting these needs, with only a handful of U.S. states meeting expectations. Some states conduct screenings and assessments to determine what foster care children need, but they aren’t always following through and connecting the children with mental health help. Kamali’i offers resources and helpful tips on contributing to fixing these issues in the system.

This issue has persisted for a long time, and in many cases, the services that would help foster youth aren’t available to them. With many foster youth showing signs of mental health problems very young in life, these issues worsen over time if not addressed. For the parents trying to address these issues, we recognize your bravery and acknowledge that you may sometimes feel alone. This could be an ongoing battle for some time.

Fortunately, people are becoming more vocal about the importance of mental health for foster youth. They’re using their voices to create positive change and ensure foster care youth and parents are cared for. Kamali’i holds joy in prioritizing our foster care parents and ensuring resources are available to all parents, whether they are struggling or not. Some resources include:

Recognizing when you are struggling is crucial, and it can be tough to raise a child at any stage of their life. There will always be issues that need to be addressed and worked on. That’s why Kamali’i offers monthly resources to make the transition seamless. Becoming a foster parent takes immense love and consideration, and you are not alone.

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