Hernando County article urges foster families during National Foster Care Month

Children in Hernando County and nearby communities still need safe homes, and local child welfare leaders say the shortage is keeping that need urgent. Kids Central, Inc. says about 1,600 children are living in crisis every day across Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties, a reminder that foster care remains a local supply-and-demand problem, not just a state issue.

May is National Foster Care Month, and the federal proclamation issued for 2026 said hundreds of thousands of American children depend on the foster care system. The Children’s Bureau’s campaign this year uses the theme “Engaging Youth. Building Supports. Strengthening Opportunities.” and highlights the young people who are preparing to leave foster care and need more than a temporary placement.

That transition matters. The Children’s Bureau says more than 365,000 children and youth are in foster care, and about 18,500 emancipate without a permanent family. It also says 77% of eligible youth ages 14 to 21 left care in 2021 without federally funded services meant to help them move into adulthood and independent living. For children who have already been removed because of abuse, abandonment or neglect, the difference between a stable placement and repeated moves can shape school performance, emotional recovery and whether they leave the system with lasting family ties.

Florida’s licensing requirements are straightforward, but they still narrow the pool of people who can step forward. Licensed out-of-home caregivers must be at least 21, have stable income enough to cover shelter, food, utilities and debts, and complete preservice training. That training covers separation, loss, attachment, difficult behavior, prevention of placement disruptions and care for children at different developmental levels. Caregivers also must pass background screening and complete a home study.

Kids Central, which serves Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit under contract with the Florida Department of Children and Families, said there is an urgent need for caring individuals in the five-county region. Its provider network shows Hernando County case management is handled by Youth and Family Advocates, while Lutheran Services Florida handles Lake and Sumter counties and Kids Central Case Management serves Marion County.

The broader state picture shows the scale of the gap. Florida foster-care data listed 15,346 children in care statewide in 2025, including 1,539 waiting for adoption, but only 6,699 licensed homes. In Hernando County, that shortage means the system still depends on local families willing to open their doors before children are pushed farther from home and the chance at a permanent connection slips away.