Colorado Needs More Foster Families

DENVER (CBS4) - As part of National Foster Care Month, the Colorado Department of Human Services is honoring five families who care for children in foster care. On average, four children enter foster care every day in Colorado and the state needs more families who are willing to get certified and open their homes to these children.

Nedra and Matt Cox went through the training. The couple had been considering adoption, when they decided to look into foster care.

"I think we thought we were going to dip our toe in the water a little bit and see what it would be like," Nedra told CBS4.

They went from dipping their toe to jumping into the deep end with their first placement. He came to them at three months old but by the time he was six months old he'd been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney cancer.

"We spent about six months in and out of Children's Hospital. He had pretty extensive surgery, and radiation and chemotherapy," Matt explained.

As foster parents, they had no authority to make any medical decisions. They had to have the state and county sign off on every procedure. The couple calls the experience frustrating, but are grateful for the caseworkers who they say worked overtime to make sure the baby got what he needed.

"We never lost faith. We just knew everything was going to turn out for the best," Nedra said.

It did turn out well. The baby got better. Now he's almost 2 years old and he's healthy, happy and thriving. The Coxes were able to adopt him. And now they're getting ready for their next foster care placement.

"There's so many children out there who… they just need a home and just an opportunity," Matt said.

Once, the couple worried about getting too attached to foster care children who may end up leaving, or that a child's difficult past might pose problems, but now they know they can handle whatever comes their way.

"The thing is you can't hold back. There is no way to hold back. You just give your whole heart. These little ones… they can't differentiate what's going on in their lives, so we give them all the love that we have," Nedra explained.

The foster care system needs more couples like the Coxes. There is a particular need for families who are willing to take in children with special needs, sibling groups, and older youth.

LINK: Learn More About Becoming A Foster Family

Libby Smith is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. If you have a story you'd like to tell CBS4 about, call 303-863-TIPS (8477) or visit the News Tips section.