Governor Newsom proclaims Foster Care Month

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2026, as "Foster Care Month."

The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

PROCLAMATION

During Foster Care Month, we reaffirm to the more than 40,000 foster children and youth in California that we stand in unwavering support of them, and we show gratitude to the thousands of foster families across the state who offer stability and care during critical development stages.

All children deserve a safe, loving, and permanent home. Foster youth face extraordinary challenges: separation from their biological families at a young age, frequent uprooting, and exposure to adverse childhood experiences. As a result, foster youth are more likely to face difficulties in both the short and long term, with lower graduation rates and higher rates of homelessness as adults. Children of color and LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the system, and often bear the brunt of these difficulties.

California is committed to doing right by all our young people, and we are working to ensure that the most vulnerable youth have all they need to not just survive but thrive. To keep families together and reduce foster care entries, the state has created programs to support and educate parents and families to keep their children safely and happily with them. With these programs, we have seen a 32 percent decrease of kids in foster care from 5 years ago. However, if children must enter the system, we prioritize home-based family care above group homes, recognizing the importance of a stable and loving support system. Consistency and care are critical to a healthy childhood, and foster families offer kids safe haven.

Although half of all foster children are reconnected with their families, and about a quarter are adopted, some foster kids ultimately age out of the system. In 2023, California launched two pilot programs that provide guaranteed income to foster youth aging out in order to support basic needs and disrupt the cycle of poverty. The state is also creating pathways to careers through the Master Plan for Career Education and making financial supports more accessible for those attending college. This includes investing in the CalKIDS program to set up child savings accounts of up to $1,500 for every foster child. The Middle Class Scholarship has expanded to cover tuition and fees for University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) students with experience in foster care. Community colleges, CSUs, and UCs all have established programs to help former foster youth successfully transition to college life and adulthood.

Every foster child deserves to grow up happy, healthy, and loved. We are indebted to the many foster families across the state who have answered the call, as we also recognize the need for more loving families to open their homes and change kids' lives for the better. It takes a village to raise a child, and California is proud to play its part in doing so.

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim May 2026, as "Foster Care Month."

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 17th day of May 2026.

GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California

ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State