6 Ways You Can Support Vulnerable Children Now

The United States may be one of the richest countries in the world, but we are still home to a huge population of profoundly vulnerable children affected by a myriad of issues. For example, there are over 9 million children living below the poverty line in America. For these children, food security is a pressing issue: 7.2 million children live in food-insecure households. For children in homes of all income levels, abuse and neglect remain alarmingly common. In 2023, there were over half a million reported cases of child abuse and neglect nationally: that’s more than 7 out of every 1,000 children experiencing abuse or neglect. Of course, this does not even account for the unreported cases. Physical wellbeing is not the only cause of urgent concern for American children. There are also mental health strains, with over 20% of children ages 3 to 17 being diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition. 

These factors and many others mean that children continue to fall into the foster care system. On any given day in America, there are approximately 400,000 children in foster care. Many of these children cannot be reunified with their families, leaving 108,000 children in foster care currently eligible for adoption; they will wait an average of three years for a placement. 

Given all this, many of us feel an urgent call to support vulnerable children in our communities. Here are five ways you can support the children who need it most.

1. Consider Fostering or Adopting

The decision to foster a child is life changing. Those of us who have opened our homes and hearts in this way know how transformative it is. For my family, it has been an honor and a joy to care for kids in a crucial time of their vulnerability, whether it was for days or months or over a year. However, it is also incredibly challenging at each step. It’s hard when they arrive, because it takes some adjusting to, and it’s hard when they leave, because you just immediately lose touch. What’s more, caring for children with a range of needs can be very difficult. And yet, fostering is incredibly rewarding. Not only are you offering kindness to the child but also, potentially, to the biological family who may just need some time to get things together. For those interested in exploring this, The Jewish foster and adoption network YATOM is currently accepting applications for the next cohort of their family fellowship. These fellowships are for people who want to explore the fostering process from the beginning, and who want to do it with support, guidance, and insight along the way.

YATOM has also has the potential to facilitate adoptions. We have seen some truly heart-warming results. Last year, a young Jewish mother came into my office. Out of love for her son, she had come to the conclusion that she wasn’t the right person to raise him.  She asked me to find a family for him. We did a national search, and we found an amazing family. The boy is thriving with his adoptive parents. The biological mother is thriving with more freedom to rebuild her life and career. They stay in touch. It’s really a win-win. If you are serious about adoption, consider joining the YATOM adoption registry. This registry is our go-to when it counts, allowing us to place children in the right home when time is of the essence. It is a less common, but possible, approach. 

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano from Pexels

2. Support Families who are Fostering/Adopting

The challenges of fostering and adoption mean that it is not for everyone. Even if that commitment is not right for you, there are still very meaningful ways you can support families who have chosen that path. Even seemingly small gestures can be profoundly meaningful: bring ease to mealtimes by dropping off an easy-to-reheat meal or takeout gift card, give parents a break by offering free babysitting. These offerings not only lessen the burden of the caretakers, but also show the family that the community is behind them. That said, the painful truth is that our communities are seldom prepared offer the kind of support that foster and adoptive families truly need. For this reason, you might also consider contributing funds to a microgrant that directly helps those families who need it most. (If you are a family that is fostering or adopting, and you could benefit from a microgrant, please reach out to YATOM at YATOM613@gmail.com.

3. Speak Gently

One important non-material way to show support to families who are fostering or adopting is to be mindful about what you say and ask, focusing on using language that is supportive rather than invasive. I can say from experience that whenever my wife and I have welcomed foster children into our own home, we often get asked a lot of questions: “Oh is the birth mom on drugs? What race is the kid? What’s the case plan?” The questions may emerge from well-meaning concern, but they create the feeling of being interrogated. Given how intense and demanding the role of foster parent is, it would be more meaningful if folks gave words of strength and encouragement, not just curiosity. 

Photo by Daria Obymaha from Pexels

4. Help Keep Families Together

There are many vulnerable families in this country who do not want their children to fall into the system, where there is no abuse or neglect: the issue is simply poverty. A staggering 13.5% of American households face food insecurity: that’s 18 million families. In an age when we are seeing devastating policies of family separation, we want to keep families together when possible. If you know a family that is struggling and at risk of losing a child, reach out to them. Your local foodbank is also a wonderful place to make donations.

5. Cultivate a Healthier Culture

It’s no secret that people are struggling with mental health issues. Of course, there are many reasons for that, but I think one impossible-to-ignore reason is technology and social media. With the rise of the smartphone, we have seen breakdowns of local support systems such as communities and friendships. It’s so easy to feed into the hyper-politicized culture we see online, not to mention the obsessed consumerism. But the truth is, when we feed into that most unhealthy part of American society, we’re making kids less safe. 

Photo by Alexander Grey from Pexels

6. Use Your Voice

There’s a lot you can do just by making a few phone calls. Advocacy on behalf of vulnerable children makes a difference.

• You can call your representatives to advocate for unaccompanied minors: with funding for their legal assistance being threatened, these vulnerable children are forced to navigate the complexities of the immigration system alone. You can find your congressperson by district, and your senator by state.

• Voice your support for the bi-partisan Adoption Tax Credit, which is of especial importance to low-income and middle-income families, who really feel the financial burden of adoption. 
• Find out how you can support efforts to provide foster youth with luggage. Why is this important? When a child is removed from their home and placed in foster care, they’re given a trash bag and told to quickly pack up a few belongings. Everything they own is now held in a trash bag. This has a devastating effect on their self-esteem and hope for the future. Several states have passed or are considering legislation which would require that foster youth be given the dignity of a proper piece of luggage.

Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, loving home. We know that when children are not housed securely, they are at risk of ending up on a dangerous path—one that can lead to incarceration, homelessness, and trafficking. We owe it to them to make sure that we are active in our support for vulnerable children and the families that support them.