LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- Since the beginning of this pandemic, Arkansas has seen a spike in kids entering the foster care system and not leaving.
​
According to the Division of Children and Family Services, 305 kids entered the foster care system in March and those numbers are continuing to rise.​
​
“It’s overwhelming to know that there’s that many kids coming into care that need homes,” said Dennis Berry, Foster parent.​
​
Foster families in Arkansas are feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, right at their front door.​
​
“Since March 15 I think we have had eight other children come and go through the house,” said Berry.​
​
Dennis Berry and his wife have two kids of their own and they’ve been taking in foster kids since 2008.​
​
While they took a short break from 2010 to 2015, they have still taken in around 85 kids.​
​
“How can you not say I’m willing to help when a child needs a safe place to go,” said Berry.​
​
Berry said normally they get calls for kids in Garland County but now they are getting calls for kids all around the natural state,​
​
“Normally you only get a few calls a month and now we are getting several calls each day,” said Berry.​
​
Reports from DCFS show this spike in the foster care system.​
​
From January to February there was a small spike then a large jump in March.​
​
While April reports are not complete, DCFS said the numbers continued to climb.​
​
“There’s families that were struggling before the crisis and this has only intensified some of those internal struggles they were feeling,” said Jill Bobo, Development Director of The CALL.​
​
Jill Bobo is the Development Director of The CALL, which is an organization that helps recruit, train, and support foster families.
​
Bobo said since the start of COVID-19 nearly 200 people have signed up to foster kids, to help compensate for the spike.​
​
“At a time when most people are closing their homes to protect their families we’re asking foster families to open their homes,” said Bobo.​
​
“There’s still kids that need a home, there’s still kids that need a safe place to go,” said Berry.​
​
On top of the increase in kids coming into foster care, DCFS reports March had the lowest amount of kids leaving the system in years.​
​
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, click here.​