FLOYD Green is encouraging more Jamaicans to become foster parents, following the release of statistics from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) of the number of children eligible for foster care placement.

A release from the CPFSA yesterday said statistics show that close to 200 children in State care are currently on the waiting list to be placed with foster families.

For the period of October to December 2017, the agency recorded a total of 4,195 children living in the residential child protection sector. Of this number, 1,265 children are living in children’s homes, 269 are living in places of safety, and 767 in foster homes, the release said.

The minister of state in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information said that the CPFSA, having just concluded the recognition of National Foster Care Week, used the opportunity to not only recognise the outstanding work of foster parents but also as a medium to promote the programme so as to increase the number of foster families.

“Fostering is a wonderful way to help some of the most vulnerable in our society. We believe that all our children should have a loving home and family and foster care provides an avenue to make that possible, and as such, I would want to see more Jamaicans opening up their hearts and homes to foster our children,” he said.

Green reiterated his appreciation for the work that foster parents have been undertaking over the past 12 years of the foster care programme.

“Thank you to all foster parents who, despite significant challenges, have stood by our children and really allowed them to actualise and be the best versions of themselves. You bring joy and hope into their lives and stand as beacons of how much each of us can do to help,” he said.

The CPFSA is encouraging interested individuals to collect an application form and criteria checklist from any CPFSA office located islandwide.