WILSON, N.C. — The Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina expects the number of children entering the system to rise following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
This comes as the number of foster families in the state is on the decline. The organization says around 600 families across the state have walked away from fostering since just last year.
The Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina expects the number of children entering the system to rise after overturning of Roe
Foster parent Rebekah Pipkin, 32, wants to bring attention to the overburdened system and encourage others to foster, especially those within the anti-abortion movement
At one time, Pipkin had six children in her home, including three of her own biological children
Rebekah Pipkin has been a foster parent for three years. The 32-year-old is already a mom to her three biological girls. She says she and her husband felt called to foster care because of their Christian faith.
“We opened our home. We took the classes, did all the background work and our home has been open for three years,” Pipkin said. “In that three years, we have had 20 children, maybe a little more, maybe a little less, and some have stayed for two hours. Our longest placement stayed for almost two years.”
She has a wall in her house dedicated to artwork by her own children and foster children.
“We try our very best to make them as much of our family as we can,” Pipkin said.
Pipkin, who is anti-abortion, feels like her side of the movement needs to support mothers beyond their pregnancies.
“Being pro-life is so much more than being anti-abortion, and I feel like sometimes that’s where people miss the mark,” she said. “They miss that pro-life means all life, so that means that once a baby is born, taking care of them, teenagers, toddlers, even the moms who are choosing life for their children.”“Being pro-life is so much more than being anti-abortion, and I feel like sometimes that’s where people miss the mark,” she said. “They miss that pro-life means all life, so that means that once a baby is born, taking care of them, teenagers, toddlers, even the moms who are choosing life for their children.”
North Carolina’s foster care system is already overwhelmed. Pipkin gets a call nearly every week to take a child in.
The Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina says that it’s preparing for crisis mode in a post-Roe world. The nonprofit organization gets its funding from the state to support foster care parents through their journey. They say the fear is that more children are going to be born that are unwanted.
“Babies or unborn babies are easy to take care. You don’t have to do anything but use your voice,” Pipkin said. “Then when they’re born that’s where the hard work starts, and people are not stepping up to do the hard work. They don’t want teenagers in their house. Teenagers come with attitudes and trauma. But, it’s easy to care for someone who is not born, it’s more difficult once they’re born.”
Pipkin says the goal of fostering is always reunification. She believes every child deserves a home. At one time, she had six children in her home, including her own.
“It was a wild time, but it was fun,” she said. “There was a lot of snacks, a lot of hanging out, a lot of laughter, a lot of ‘I’m sorrys,’ chaotic bedtimes, but it's always worth it.”
Pipkin and her friend started the Wilson Foster Closet so community members can donate clothes, diapers, wipes or even used cribs. She says even if you’re not able to foster, there are other ways to support families who do.
