. . . Everyone Must Lead in Foster Care Housing

Although most people are aware of the critical shortage of affordable housing, not enough residents realize that there is one other kind of home that is also in woefully short supply in Orange County--the foster home.

There are only about 600 foster homes in Orange County. But there are about 1,600 more children, most of them under age 5, waiting in institutions and group homes, longing for and desperately needing the family atmosphere a foster home can provide.

What is so frustrating to police, judges, social service specialists--everyone associated with these abused, battered, abandoned and unwanted children--is that despite all the thousands of potential foster homes throughout the county, there are still so few, and so many youngsters who remain unwanted with no place to go.

More buildings do not have to be constructed. There is no expensive equipment to buy. All that is needed to turn a residence into a foster home are unselfish people who love children--and the challenge of caring for youngsters who have had precious little caring thus far in their young lives.

Some of the children have special problems. And it takes special, understanding people to work with them. But there is no special background needed to become a foster parent. Children come from all walks of life and ethnic origins. So do foster parents. Even single people qualify. The Orange County Social Services Agency is desperately seeking more foster parents. Anyone who loves children and is ready to open his or her heart and home to let them in should give the county a call. Agencies and institutions, no matter how efficient, just cannot replace parents and homes, even temporary ones.