News from Franklin County Children Services

Maggie Baxter is very excited about getting her 17-year-old foster daughter Rylie ready for prom this weekend. “We’re getting her nails done today and her hair done tomorrow.”  “I can’t believe I get to be a ‘prom mom’!” This is just part of the joy Ms. Baxter and her husband Austin experience as foster parents. During National Foster Care Month this May, Franklin County Children Services is celebrating the caring adults who open their homes and hearts to the hundreds of children in Central Ohio who need safe, stable, and loving places to stay. While being a foster parent can be very challenging at times, the Baxters relish having a full house to offer normalcy and stability to youth while helping families heal. In addition to Rylie, they currently foster two sisters, ages 10 and 17, while caring for their own daughters, ages 10 and 14.  Having lots of people around the house is nothing new for the couple. “My husband comes from a big family. I’m one of four,” Ms. Baxter said.  The Bax

The popular FCCS Community Resource Guide, a helpful reference book of community partners ready to help strengthen all families in Central Ohio, has been redesigned for 2024 to be more user-friendly… and it’s now available online and in print.  The Resource Guide features 17 different sections of supports, ranging from hospitals and health centers to clothing and childcare assistance. And nearly all of the services are available to any family in Franklin County, no matter their size, income, neighborhood, background, or diversity. FCCS also added two new sections, including the agency’s first-ever LGBTQ+ support section to provide resources for our SOGIE diverse youth and families. SOGIE stands for “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression.” Another new section highlights useful services from the City of Columbus and Franklin County government agencies.  “We took this incredible book and made it even better this year,” said Bruce Cadwallader, a member of the FCCS Communicatio

Gary and Caitlin Kleinpaste have an open table in their home for current, former, and new foster children who need a sense of stability, familiarity, and love. Each child is welcome to share a meal and feel their love and support. May is National Foster Care Month, when Franklin County Children Services joins a nationwide effort to spread awareness and show support for children and youth in foster care who urgently need safe homes and loving caregivers as they wait to be reunited with their families. The Kleinpastes, who received the 2024 FCCS Family Appreciation Award, are among those who fill this vital role.  Foster parents for more than seven years, the couple currently have five children (two sibling groups) placed with them. As “treatment foster parents” with extensive training and experience, the Kleinpastes are often asked to care for children who have specific needs.  An eagerness to become foster parents was something that the Kleinpastes shared even prior to their marriage.