CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — Since 2013, the number of children technically counted in Iowa’s foster system has been decreasing; however, there’s still a constant need for new foster families, KCRG reports. In 2013, the Iowa Data Center reported 10,400 children in the system — in 2022 that number dropped to 6,586.

Kai McGee with Four Oaks Family and Children Services credits The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. That law gave family members of foster care candidates money to support taking the child in.

The need for foster parents remains high in Iowa. Four Oaks saw a spike earlier this summer. Four Oaks offers a comprehensive rundown of the processes and requirements necessary to become a foster parent. McGee says now is the perfect time for anyone considering becoming a foster parent to begin the process.