MetroFamily Magazine November December 2023

MetroFamily began extensive reporting on Oklahoma’s foster care system in 2015. At that time, there were 9,500 children in foster care with 5,243 approved foster homes in the state. Since 2015, the number of children in state custody has been reduced dramatically, primarily due to intensive safety services provided to families in their homes, in many cases eliminating the need for children to enter the foster care system. Oklahoma now reports a 20-year low with 6,195 children in custody. According to Oklahoma Human Services, keeping children in their homes while professionals work with families on safety concerns, connect them to counseling and other services, and focus on prevention services improves social, behavioral, developmental and well-being outcomes for children, reduces their future reliance on government assistance and reduces criminal and juvenile justice system involvement. “Our prevention services, like intensive safety services, have had incredible success rates – 80 percent in state fiscal year 2022 – while supporting families without removal of their children,” said Casey White, external communications and media relations administrator for Oklahoma Human Services. “More importantly, allowing children to remain safely in their homes is better and less traumatic for the children and their families.” Unfortunately, the number of approved foster homes in the state has decreased to 3,333, meaning Oklahoma still faces the challenge of not enough foster families to meet the current need. “Our goal is to recruit enough foster families that we have multiple families to choose from and can find the best fit for every child who comes into state custody,” said White. “We need more foster parents who are willing to take teens, kids with special needs and sibling groups. These are the children who are hardest to place and need families willing to meet them where they are.” The Carrington family of Moore has stepped up to meet these needs, and through their journey, they’ve gained much more than they’ve given. The Carrington Family BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CARRINGTON FAMILY. Stepping Up

Making the commitment After approval and in-depth training, Meagan and Michael Carrington accepted their first placement in June 2021, two sisters, who still live in their home. The Carringtons have been a safe place for 17 total girls, adopting two and cheering on others as they’ve returned to biological families. They currently have six girls in their home, plus Michael’s biological daughter. The Carringtons have a heart for fostering teenagers and children with greater behavioral needs, called Enhanced Foster Care, which required additional training. They have found some of their early fears about fostering to be unfounded, especially regarding managing the kids’ sometimes difficult behaviors and working with Oklahoma Human Services. Meagan appreciates that the agency doesn’t expect perfection — an attitude the Carringtons extend to the children in their care. “Raising these kids is just like raising your own kids,” said Meagan. “A lot of people get caught up in the kids’ behaviors or not wanting to deal with their [biological] families, but at the end of the day, they’re just kids.” The Carringtons enjoy teaching and instructing their teens to prepare for life as adults and note the girls’ eagerness to learn coping skills and healing strategies. “I tell them, we can’t erase the first part of your life – instead of erasing, you have to deal with it and be there for them," said Michael. When it comes to working with Oklahoma Human Services, the Carringtons have been intentional in building genuine relationships with their case workers and their kids’ therapists. Whether they need help getting a child to an appointment, advice on handling a situation or even immediate crisis management, support is always available. THE CARRINGTONS OF MOORE HAVE STEPPED UP TO FOSTER 17 CHILDREN (SOME PICTURED HERE) SINCE RECEIVING THEIR FIRST PLACEMENT IN 2021.