Foster care plays a critical role in the well-being of children who are unable to remain in their biological homes due to various circumstances. Kelsey Rammel, the foster care coordinator for the Star Valley area with the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), recently shared insights into the current state of foster care in the region.

As a foster care coordinator, Rammel’s responsibilities encompass recruiting, training, and supporting foster families across Lincoln, Teton, and Sublette counties. Her day-to-day tasks involve actively promoting the need for foster families, providing ongoing education and support for both new and current foster parents, and offering resources and assistance to foster families, such as school supplies and daily necessities. Rammel emphasizes the importance of education in her role, noting, “I’m just trying to recruit by educating, keeping it in front of people,” highlighting that many are unaware of the foster care needs in the community.

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The need for foster families in Wyoming is substantial. Rammel reports that there are approximately 1,000 children in foster care across the state at any given time. Specifically, in Lincoln County, there are currently only two active foster families, a decrease from five families three years ago. This decline raises concerns about the capacity to meet the needs of children requiring safe placements. When children are removed from their biological homes for safety reasons, DFS intervenes to provide temporary care. Rammel explains that the aim is to reunite children with their families as quickly and safely as possible, stating, “That’s where we want kids.” Foster families are expected to provide day-to-day care, which includes normalizing life for the children, such as maintaining routines like attending school and medical appointments, and being flexible, as placements can range from a few days to several months, depending on the situation of the biological family. As Rammel notes, “a foster placement could last two days to two weeks,” though it could extend up to a year.

The process of becoming a foster parent involves several steps, including completing an application, undergoing comprehensive training to prepare for the challenges, and passing background checks along with home visits to ensure a suitable environment for foster children. Rammel highlights that the most significant effort in the application process lies in the training, which equips families to manage children who may have experienced trauma and to navigate “how to parent a child whose upbringing is different than the child that you have in your home.”

Many prospective foster parents express concerns regarding safety and the impact on their own children. Rammel reassures that foster children are not in care due to their own behavior but rather due to external circumstances, emphasizing, “this child doesn’t, they’re not coming into care because they have delinquency charges or anything like that. It’s strictly because of their home.”

Despite the challenges, many foster families report fulfilling experiences. Rammel shares stories of families who, initially hesitant, found joy in welcoming foster children into their homes. These children often become lifelong members of the family, maintaining connections even after they leave foster care. As Rammel describes, “these kids become a part of the family…Even once they’ve gone home…they still come up and give you hugs and all that kind of stuff.” For those interested in becoming foster parents, Rammel encourages reaching out through various channels, including the Wyoming DFS website, direct contact with her at 307-699-4197, or the Lincoln County Foster Care Facebook page, which offers additional information and community support.