Belgium is currently grappling with a severe crisis in its foster care system, with 600 children left without a place to call home due to a significant shortage of host families.
In response, the Federation for Support Services in Foster Care (FSAAF) and the Odile Foster Family Service, backed by the French Community of Belgium (FWB), RTBF, and CAP 48, have launched a three-week awareness campaign aimed at attracting more foster families.
The alarming situation has reached a critical point, with some minors being forced to sleep in hospitals due to the lack of available accommodations. The campaign seeks to inform the public about the urgent need for foster families and to dispel misconceptions about fostering.
“These vulnerable children, alone or with siblings, need a home to help them regain a sense of balance, and loving, caring support to help them grow up properly and create reliable, stable attachments for life,” the organisations stated in a press release.
Awareness Campaign Launched
The campaign is designed to raise awareness about the pressing shortage of foster families and to encourage more families to consider fostering. Information is being centralised on a dedicated website, offering details on both short-term and long-term fostering options.
The initiative is also working to counter stereotypes about foster children. Antonio Frau, director of the Henri Jaspart boarding school, told RTBF, “The children we take in are not delinquents. They are children who have suffered abuse at the hands of their parents, who are often overwhelmed.”
Frau emphasised that fostering is often a temporary solution aimed at eventually reuniting children with their families. “If [children] were taken into care more quickly, the situation might be resolved more easily,” he added.
Systemic Issues and Judicial Backlog
The foster care system’s difficulties are compounded by severe shortages within the court system.
Michèle Meganck, a judge at the Brussels Juvenile Court, highlighted the overwhelming caseload faced by French-speaking judges in Brussels. “The 14 French-speaking judges in Brussels alone handle between 3,500 and 4,000 cases every day,” she noted.
This backlog has exacerbated the shortage of foster placements, with children waiting extended periods before being placed in care.
“While there has always been a shortage of places, it has never been to the extent we have seen in recent years. Today, it takes an incredible amount of time for some children to get a place outside their family, when we know they should be out immediately,” Meganck explained.
Public Call to Action
Campaigners are urging families to step forward and consider fostering, stressing that there are numerous ways to help. The campaign underscores the importance of providing a stable and supportive environment for children in need.
As Belgium grapples with this deepening crisis, the hope is that increased awareness and public support will lead to more children finding the safe and nurturing homes they desperately need. The campaign’s success could play a crucial role in alleviating the immediate crisis and building a more resilient foster care system for the future.
