A Harford County couple has fostered more than 30 children in the past 10 years, adopting six foster kids to become a family of 11.
BEL AIR, MD — The Hutton family of Bel Air has welcomed with open arms more than 30 children in the past 10 years, providing not just a roof over the kids' heads but loving them, supporting them and guiding them every day.
Laura and Mark Hutton have nine children, six of whom were adopted from foster care.
"We started fostering because we were interested in adopting a child with disabilities, but weren't sure if that would be a good fit for the entire family. We decided to foster first, so we could have a child join our family for a short while to see how this worked with our family dynamics. We thought of foster care as committing to take care of a child temporarily while their parents couldn't. Ironically, we ended up adopting our first foster child," Laura Hutton told Patch.
More than 4,000 children in Maryland's foster care system are in need of a foster family.
“It’s been a challenging yet rewarding journey,” Hutton added. “My kids have gained skills and understandings that have shaped their characters and aspirations. They learned to be empathetic and compassionate, and that’s an incredible gift.”
Big need for teen homes
The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region (The Arc NCR) reports that nearly 75% of foster care referrals are teenagers, the most underserved demographic in the child welfare system.
When the Huttons felt called to foster, they spoke with The Arc NCR to learn more about what foster care entailed. Representatives of the agency stopped by their home and "we had an open conversation with them to make sure this was a good fit for us," Hutton said. They then completed training, underwent background checks and completed physicals, then had their home inspected.
Steven Acerno, director of family and children supports for The Arc NCR, told Patch that there are slightly more than a dozen foster family homes in Harford and Cecil counties, but "there is a critical need for more foster parents who are willing to take in teens."
"The Arc NCR offers comprehensive support to foster parents, including 24/7 on-call assistance, clinical and behavioral training, and respite care options. These resources ensure that foster families have the support they need to provide a stable and loving environment for children," Acerno told Patch. "Three out of four children in need are older than 13 (75% of the referrals). When there are not enough foster parents, the children often end up living in group home settings, which may not provide the necessary nurturing for a child in challenging circumstances."
On average, The ARC NCR receives about 80 referrals each month for children in need of a safe and loving home. The organization serves children from birth through age 20, including sibling groups, medically fragile children and those with complex medical needs, "all of whom require and deserve a loving, supportive home environment," Acerno said.
Finding foster families
The Arc Northern Chesapeake employs a wide range of strategies to engage and recruit new foster families.
"We continually build partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups and community agencies, while also working to raise awareness about the needs of children in Harford and Cecil counties," Acerno told Patch. "Our program collaborates closely with local departments of social services throughout the state to thoughtfully match children in need of a supportive and nurturing home with families who possess the skills and strengths to help them thrive."
Laura Hutton told Patch there are ways to get started slowly and test the waters of foster care.
"Get involved in small ways. Volunteer for organizations like Foster the Family, become a respite parent (someone who is licensed to do foster care but only takes children for a couple of days or a week when foster families need a break), talk to foster families and foster care agencies. Once you learn more about foster care, you will know if it is right for you," she said.
Because the Huttons parent children with special medical situations, it does take a bit of time to get rolling in the mornings, Laura Hutton said.
"Organization and time management are key. It takes me at least three hours between when I wake up and when I can get out the door because so many of our children require medical care in the mornings. But having a routine helps me accomplish everything even when something goes awry — and listening to audiobooks while I get things done makes mornings more relaxing for me," Hutton told Patch.
Benefits of being a foster parent
Acerno named numerous benefits to being a foster parent, with the most important being that foster parents can experience the heartwarming satisfaction of knowing they are positively affecting a child's life and ultimately — shaping their future, which is exactly what the Huttons feel daily.
The Arc NCR offers comprehensive support to foster parents, including 24/7 on-call assistance, clinical and behavioral training, and respite care options. These resources help foster families have the support they need to provide a stable and loving environment for children.
Foster parents also receive the following:
The basic requirements to be a foster parent in Maryland include:
For information on how to become a foster parent, click here.