There are enough foster parents in Shasta County for the county’s children, and more. So why are some children and youths housed in other care programs waiting for a foster family?

The answer is in the age group most foster parents want to foster.

“Shasta County is a receiving county because we have more foster youth coming… from other counties for placement than we send out…,” said Dianna Wagner, branch director of children’s services at Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA).

Thirty California counties place foster youth in Shasta County, Wagner said.

HHSA Children’s Services Branch has 464 foster youth currently in out-of-home placement as of Oct. 4,” Wagner said. “Of those, 375 (are from) Shasta County.

Most of the 149 out-of-county foster children and youths come from other Northern California counties.

“Tehama, Trinity and Humboldt counties each have a higher number of youth placed in Shasta County than any of the other (California) counties,” Wagner said.

Despite open slots, some children are in other programs while they wait for a foster home. One reason is foster parents' preference.

“It’s really the 0 to 5 kids who are in demand in Shasta County,” Wagner said.

Many foster parents, also called resource parents, want to foster and then adopt, Mathis said. They want infants or young babies.

“The age groups in need of resource parents are ages 6 to 11, sibling sets and at-risk teens. The 6- to 11-year-old age group is tough.”

Finding homes for teens can be even tougher.

Jadin McWilliams, 19, was a foster child in Shasta County from age 8 to 18.

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Click here to read the full article, written by Jessica Skropanic:  Shortage of foster homes for teens and older kids