Over nine thousand children are in foster care in Kentucky. There is a need for volunteers to help review the cases for children who are there due to dependency, neglect, or abuse. Cletus Poat is the state chair of the citizen foster care review board of Kentucky. He said boards look at many parts of the child’s case such as their health, school progress and the status of the biological parents.
“And then we record those findings where we are with this case, at this interval and we make recommendations, and we send that report to the family court judge for the next court hearing and the judge has those findings and those recommendations.”
People can apply at the Administrative Office of the Courts’ website. Poat said there is a process the volunteers must complete.
“They have to undergo a background check, criminal record check. Then they have initial training of six hours, that’s being done virtually. Then we’re required to have six hours of continual education every year.”
Poat said there are 45 counties that need volunteers. Those include Boyd, Fayette, Floyd, Harlan, Mason, and Owsley County. Most of the counties need five volunteers. Hardin, Madison, and Warren need 10 volunteers and Jefferson needs 20.
