Ulmer launched the campaign at a press conference held in the Anchorage home of Mike and Tammy Keech, foster parents who operate an emergency shelter for children taken into state custody. But we need many more. In Juneau, Knowles also stressed the need for more community support of Alaska s foster families. We should not expect them to do it alone.
Foster homes are an essential part of Alaska s child protection system.
They provide children a temporary, safe place to live until they can be reunited with their families or, in some cases, placed permanently with another family. The number of children taken into state custody as a result of abuse or neglect has risen sharply during the past year to more than 1,900. The number of children placed in foster homes has grown to nearly 1,040 about a 10 percent increase in the past year. That number is expected to continue growing, largely as a result of the tough new child protection law and increased child protection resources approved last year by Gov. Knowles and the Legislature. All of the ads feature Alaska foster parents and highlight the important role they play in protecting children.