The Saint Francis Ministries Foster Parents of the Year for Kansas hail from Lebo.
Shawn and Emily Mason were understandably surprised when the announcement was made on KVOE’s Talk of Emporia on Friday. Emily Mason says the family’s journey started by caring for a young girl weekends when the mother “fell on hard times.”
Shawn Mason says they had some conversations for about a year before they dove in. Since beginning in 2019, the Masons now have a child of their own, an adopted child and three children they are currently fostering. Shawn Mason says it’s “hectic,” but they make it work.
Saint Francis Foster Care Homes Supervisor Missy Floyd says the Masons’ journey through foster care is representative of a lot of foster parents across the state.
The need for foster care remains high, with 90 children needing care just in Lyon County. Floyd says children get placed into foster care for abuse and neglect after reports from mandated reporters to the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
For more information about foster parenting, call Floyd at 620-412-6857.
Potential foster parents need to be at least 21 years old, take 30 hours of training, pass criminal and child welfare clearance checks and have a source of income other than foster care reimbursements. They must also own or rent a space that either meets all state requirements or make adjustments so their living space meets those benchmarks.
