UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Union County’s Department of Social Services said the number of children in the county’s foster care system has doubled in four years.

Currently, roughly 160 children, of various ages, are in the county’s care waiting for their forever families.

Union County's DSS Director says the number of children in the foster care system has roughly doubled in four years 

24 children were legally adopted in Union County since last November

161 children are currently in the county's foster care system

Ashley Lantz, the director of Union County DSS, said there are many reasons the numbers are increasing, including the county’s recent growth in population.

“Back in the day when you did social work, you used to come into maybe just a dirty home or maybe there was poverty the family was dealing with. Now we see that combined with drug addiction, mental health issues, and it all comes together. And so we’re seeing our numbers increase here in Union County,” Lantz added.“Back in the day when you did social work, you used to come into maybe just a dirty home or maybe there was poverty the family was dealing with. Now we see that combined with drug addiction, mental health issues, and it all comes together. And so we’re seeing our numbers increase here in Union County,” Lantz added.

Lantz, who has been in her current position for four years, has seen the number of children in the county’s care rise from an average of 75 when she started to the current 161. Twenty-four children of various ages have been legally adopted within the last year.

Lantz has been in various roles conducting social work for decades and is, herself, an adoptive mom from Union County. She said finding these children forever families is very important.

“I like to tell people, social services doesn’t make good parents. We are a government entity that is here to support. And we’re here to make those connections and find those resources for families, to keep kids safe, but we don’t make good parents,” Lantz said.

Lantz said the county, and counties all over the state, are in serious need of families to foster and adopt. She urged any interested families to reach out to their local DSS and begin taking courses.

“They offer classes on how to become a foster parent, how to become a good adoptive parent,” Lantz said. “We’re here every step of the way.”

The Algaier family in Union County did exactly what Lantz described.

Parents Misty and Sean, who had three biological children already, took classes to begin fostering a few years ago. They had previously fostered in Louisiana.

“When I was very young I knew that this had to be done, it wasn’t something that was just going to go away and not exist,” Sean Algaier explained.

Algaier was a product of the foster care system and adoption when he was younger.

“I was adopted — foster child from age one and a half till I was adopted at four and a half,” Algaier explained.

When the couple started dating more than 17 years ago, Sean said he made sure Misty knew he was always looking to foster and potentially adopt.

“Our family has so much love to give, that we always felt like we wanted to share that with children who needed a place to stay,” Misty Algaier added.

The couple now has five children from ages 15 to 3. It keeps them busy all the time.

“I’ve forgotten exactly how difficult it is moment by moment, day by day, to raise toddlers,” Algaier said with a smile.

This winter, the family’s adoption of 3-year-old twins, Joshua and Jeremiah, was legally complete. Joshua and Jeremiah had been the Algaier’s foster children since they were 9 months old.

“Now we have Joshy and Jerry here in our arms, and it’s been amazing,” Algaier said.

“I get to — from the very first stage to the last, watch my kids grow and mature and become the people God created them to be. And whatever that is, it’s just fascinating to watch,” she said about why she enjoys being a mother of five.

The Algaiers said they would have never continued fostering, and eventually adopting the twins, if not for several family meetings and discussions with their biological children.

They urged other families in Union County to consider opening their homes to foster children, or adoption.

“So, so many kids out there that need a place to call home. They need arms of love and support around them. And they are just waiting, even right now, for someone to say, ‘We can do that,'” Sean Algaier said, speaking from his own experience.