Throughout May, our community has been honoring and acknowledging the important role of foster families in celebration of Foster Families & Kinship Caregivers Awareness Month. I have had the privilege of attending and participating in several of these special events and sincerely appreciate the time, effort and good will that each of these organizations has demonstrated in recognizing and supporting foster children and families.

It is gratifying to see the increasing awareness that our entire community needs to participate, at some level, in supporting our county's foster children. For some of us, this means becoming a foster parent, for others it may be providing respite for foster parents. It may be mentoring or tutoring these young people, fostering a teen or becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister. Many in our community participate by raising funds or making donations so that these children have a better opportunity to be placed with their siblings, experience joyful holidays, go to camp, attend college and participate in community outings. There is a role for each of us.

We're making progress, yet there is much to do. We still have far too many parents who are not able to properly care for their children. In Ventura County, there are 501 children and youth in foster care who are provided with a safe, secure and stable home. These foster and kinship families not only provide safety, they also meet the daily physical and emotional needs of the children placed in their care.

Foster families consist of committed and compassionate individuals, couples and families willing to share the eye-opening experience of opening their heart to a child. The foster family works to the child. They display empathy for the child's loss and for the parents with a disease or severe problem. The child's birth parents needs help. The foster parent is helping them by taking care of their child.

Foster parents open their homes and hearts to children whose families are in crisis, playing a vital role helping children and families heal and reconnect.

Sometimes the family is unable to heal and the family will not be reunified. The county does concurrent planning for children in its care: Plan A Children are reunified with their parent if possible and appropriate within legal timeframes; Plan B Permanent placement, and the first choice is usually the foster parent.

It is the practice of the county that foster parents must agree to foster first before being considered for adoption. So adoption is possible, and foster parenting can help those interested be ready for adoption.

When adoption occurs, we need to recruit more foster families to replace those who leave the system. We need more people to become foster parents in Ventura County. People move, people have medical emergencies; there are a number of reasons why we must continue to recruit new foster families. This recruitment effort will be most effective if we all take a role in making our friends and neighbors aware of the need.

When I'm out speaking to groups about foster parenting, people often tell me that they've been thinking about becoming a foster parent for a long time, but they're a little scared and unsure of their ability. They don't know if they'd be good at it.

Although every licensed foster parent receives formal training, foster parenting is a learn-as-you-go endeavor. That's why there are support systems in place such as the mentoring program that links newly licensed foster parents with more seasoned foster parents to assist them in understanding the system. These experienced foster parents help them through challenges that only another foster parent would understand.

Foster parents tell us that although their job is difficult, the ways that these children touch their hearts is well worth the challenge.

We all know someone who would make a great foster parent. If you know someone or if you are interested, attend an information session or call me for more information.

Steve Bennett, of Ventura, is a District 1 supervisor, representing Ventura, Montalvo, Saticoy, Oxnard Shores, Mandalay Bay, Northwest Oxnard, North Ventura Avenue, Foster Park, Casitas Springs, Oak View, Mira Monte, Meiners Oaks, City of Ojai, Eastern Ojai Valley, and Upper Ojai, North Coast.