Detroit Children's Center offers support for foster children and parents

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Cynthia Johnson has been a foster parent for 12 years and it’s meant the world to her and the children she’s been able to help.

"It could be neglect or the parent, just needs time to get things together," Johnson said. "Everything is not always handed to us on a silver platter. Sometimes we make mistakes and that parent needs the opportunity to go back and correct them," Johnson said. "Each child brings something different to you."

Foster children often have special needs - that’s why Johnson works with The Children's Center out of Detroit. The foster child she’s working with now, is benefiting from their support.

"The Children's Center, they are going to connect the child that I have, up with swimming because he has been through some traumatic events," she said. "And that is going to be one of his activities."

Serving nearly 7,500 children each year – the Children’s Center has licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists to work with children who struggle with behavioral, emotional, educational, and physical challenges and may have experienced trauma.

"We have a support group that we do with our foster parents," said Lynda Dandridge, The Children’s Center. "We make sure that they get classes to really keep them up on the types of kids that are placed in their homes. So foster parents are crucial to what we do.

"Foster parents take these kids sight unseen, they are the trailblazers of what we do. I think foster parents are the unsung heroes."

On June 3rd, the organization will salute foster parents with an appreciation dinner. They report in Michigan there are more than 14,000 children in foster care.

For more information go to thechildrenscenter.com