As horrific child abuse cases from Baltimore City grab headlines, Gov. Martin O?Malley is launching a new campaign aimed at recruiting 1,000 foster parents across Maryland by 2010.
“Foster homes, foster parents are really the first line of defense when it comes to protecting vulnerable children,” O?Malley told The Examiner. “In the absence of foster homes, we can?t make the first meaningful intervention.”
The number of Maryland foster parents decreased by more than a thousand between 2003 and 2007, creating a void that leaves many kids without the proper guidance, O?Malley said.
“When you ask people to make this investment and this sacrifice and you fail to make sure payment keeps pace with inflation, you?re really dooming a lot of kids,” he said.
In 2006, foster parents received a monthly stipend of $535 for each child in regular foster homes. O?Malley has increased that monthly stipend $735.
The governor also pledged better training, childcare assistance, and respite care.
Shocking cases of child abuse in Baltimore City filled headlines in recent weeks, including allegations a mother killed her 2-year-old daughter by feeding her methadone, and a drug-addicted mother who admitted she looked the other way while her boyfriend beat her toddler son to death.
O?Malley said he “absolutely” believes an increase in foster parents could lead to a decrease in crime.
Human Resources Secretary, Brenda Donald said she planned to engage businesses, and nonprofit and organizations, and to help recruit parents.
She said organizations need to make information about foster homes “readily available” to their employees, and provide flexible work hours for employees who become foster parents.
