foster care in myrtle beach
Horry County has a growing need for foster families. There are over 200 local kids in foster care but we only have enough foster families to keep ~115 of them in the county. That means we need ~85 more local families to help meet this growing demand.
If you’ve ever considered fostering or been curious about it then this article is for you. Here are some quick facts, stories of foster families and guidance on next steps.
foster care basics + facts
WHAT IS FOSTER CARE | Foster care is a temporary living situation with an approved foster family. Foster families bridge the gap for vulnerable children who are removed from their parents and are not able to be placed with relatives.
WHY ARE KIDS REMOVED | Most kids are removed due to abuse, neglect or other issues of abandonment. These kids have experienced trauma and desperately need a supportive place to land while their parents work to be reunited with them.
WHO CAN FOSTER | Any family can foster – single, married, partners, with kids, without kids, etc. You’ll see a few stories below of families who heeded the call to foster, even when it looked different than they expected. They key commonality is the foster parent(s) desire to create a safe, stable and loving environment where children can heal, grow and thrive.
SHORT TERM FOSTER NEEDS | For many families short-term foster care is a great place to start. Short-term care allows a family to learn more about themselves and meets critical needs. The process is the same – you’ll still go through licensure as detailed below.
normal families stepping in
FOSTERING TEENS | Andrew & Andrea are the parents of three biologic children. Their initial plans were to foster a child younger than their own children but their plans quickly changed when they heard of a local teenage mom-to-be.
Read more of their story to the left.
SPECIAL NEEDS PARENTS | The Cunningham family began fostering in 2020 with a desire to care for children with special needs. Their first placement resulted in a beautiful and ongoing bond with that sweet child and her biologic family.
Read more about Victoria’s journey to the right.
if you're considering fostering, start here
EXPRESS INTEREST | This link is to a very short form you can use to get in touch with the Horry County team. You’ll be able to arrange a phone call or sit-down meeting with the local specialist. This is a time for you to ask questions, gain clarity, gather resources, etc.
LICENSING SPECIALIST | To move forward you’ll be paired with a licensing specialist who assists with all remaining steps which include: orientation, trainings, inspections, home study and eventually licensure and receiving your first child.
TIMELINE | The process can take 3-6 months, largely dependent upon how quickly foster families are able to complete the steps.
WHERE TO FIND MORE INFO | This is a big decision so Thornwell has made 3 key resources available. If you’d like the robust Foster Care FAQs, Foster Care Bible Study and list of Foster Care book recs then enter your name and email below for those to come via email.
