Ohio officials say 12 thousand children are in foster care in the state, and some will not find a family before they age out of the system.
New youth-centered approaches are being used by child welfare agencies to better help those kids build connections and find permanent homes. Deb Downing is assistant director of the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services.
Kristi Burre with the Fairfield County Protective Services Department says another strategy includes the child in meetings to develop an action plan that can lead to a permanent home. She talks about one foster child who temporarily stayed with his grandparents after years in the system.
Downing says agencies are engaging the court system and other service providers in these new strategies.
Officials say 1 thousand Ohio children age out of foster care each year.