When you think of all of the various reasons someone may need to use SpoofCard, the foster care system is probably not what comes to mind. As we celebrate the beginning of summer, we also want to recognize that May is Foster Care Awareness Month! We want to shine a light on the lives of children and teens in foster care who often find themselves forgotten by the public.
Foster Care Facts and Statistics
- There are over 407,000 children and youth in foster care at any given time.
- 48% of children in foster care experience emotional or behavioral problems.
- 25% of foster children experience PTSD–a rate comparable to that of U.S. war veterans.
- 14.2% of children in foster care suffer from depression and anxiety, in comparison to just 2% of their peers.
- 5,000 unaccompanied youth die each year as a result of an assault, illness, or suicide.
You’re probably wondering what this has to do with SpoofCard. On a personal level, our CEO spent years as part of a foster family, having multiple children come through her home during that time. In light of that, we have seen first-hand the value of SpoofCard for foster families and social workers alike.
SpoofCard is used by foster families when biological parents want to speak to their children or when children want to speak to their birth parents. By using SpoofCard, foster families can protect their location and personal information while also helping biological parents and children remain connected.
SpoofCard’s recording feature allows foster families to record the calls to ensure social workers are aware of any conversations that take place. If necessary, foster parents can utilize the straight-to-voicemail feature if they just need to leave a quick message. They can also use SpoofCard’s SMS feature to text with the biological family, all while still protecting their location and that of the children they are fostering.
Additionally, many social workers find SpoofCard to be of value, as they can reach out to biological parents from their cell phone but display their office line as the caller ID. This helps maintain professionalism and protects social workers from the unfortunate harassment that can take place once their cell phone number is exposed.
We believe that together, we can not only protect your privacy but also foster (quite literally!) a better relationship between foster parents and biological families. The foster care system says that reunification is the goal, and while that’s partly true, the most important goal is wholeness. With a service like SpoofCard, we’re able to help foster families and biological parents communicate and keep biological families connected to their children. In tandem, we’re also keeping these children safe by protecting the foster family’s personal information from being exposed.
We’re passionate about making the world a better place, and this is just one of the many ways we are working to do that. Additionally, we partnered with Together We Rise, a 501(c)3 non-profit that helps children in foster care. In 2021, SpoofCard was honored to give a sizable financial gift as well as create gifts for children in foster care. Together, we gathered, decorated, and filled duffle bags to be given to the children so that they can have something to call their own as they walk through this uncertain time.
If you, or someone you know, are interested in learning more, you can visit www.togetherwerise.org. This is one of the many ways SpoofCard is giving back to communities both locally and globally. Stay tuned for future blog posts to learn how your purchases and support of SpoofCard are helping make a difference!
