CYFD encourages prospective family to get the "scoop" on how to foster children

The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department is looking to help families stay cool this summer while providing them with the necessary information on how to become foster families.

CYFD is doing it through its Get the Scoop community outreach program, which has been running across the state over the past few months.

The department has been inviting families interested in learning more about the foster care system to join them at these family-friendly events, where they are able to enjoy ice cream while getting their questions about foster care answered by CYFD staff, who are on site.

Flyers with QR codes that link to foster care inquiry forms are also available, and current and former foster care parents are also on site to answer questions.

So far, the department has held Get the Scoop events in Farmington, Roswell and Albuquerque. Two additional events are scheduled for the CYFD Office in Santa Fe, 1920 5th Street, on July 25, and at the Casa Office in Las Cruces, 2640 El Paseo Road, on July 26.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to help these to-be ... foster parents understand everything that goes into (foster care) and all of the benefits that come with it,” said Andrew Skobinsky, CYFD communications director.

According to Skobinsky, CYFD has held 124 similar foster care information events from June 2023 to June 2024 and was able to recruit 16 new foster families to the system. That brings the total foster families in New Mexico to 1,042. However, they were 2,030 children in state custody as of June, Skobinsky said.

With a great need for foster families in New Mexico, each of these events could get a family comfortable with taking that first step toward fostering a child, Skobinsky said.

“A lot of people are nervous, but these folks that go into fostering are very well cared for in terms of support,” he said. “There’s a bunch of resources that are open to them.”