WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao is facing a critical shortage of foster families, with only around 30 foster households available for the estimated 150 to 175 children currently placed under court-ordered supervision and removed from their homes. This was revealed by Juvenile Judge Marijntje Hubben, who stressed that most of these children are placed in institutions despite the clear benefits of being raised in a family setting. 

The shortage was the central theme of an information and recruitment event held last week by the Pleeggezinnen Centrale Curaçao (Foster Families Central Curaçao). The event aimed to recruit new foster parents and raise awareness about the importance of providing stable, nurturing care for vulnerable children. 

No Facilities for Youngest Children 

The situation is particularly dire for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 3, for whom there are no institutional care facilities on the island. Moreover, there is an urgent lack of crisis foster families—households that can immediately take in a child following an emergency court decision. These placements are usually temporary, lasting about two weeks, until a more permanent solution is found. At present, such short-term foster care is nearly nonexistent in Curaçao. 

Weekend Care Also in High Demand 

There is also a growing need for weekend foster care for children living in institutions. Many of these children remain in residential facilities over the weekend due to unstable home environments, missing out on the experience of normal family life. A temporary weekend stay with a foster family would offer them a much-needed sense of home and stability. 

The call for more foster families comes as part of a broader effort to improve child welfare services on the island. Experts and child welfare advocates continue to urge the community to consider fostering as a way to provide these children with the care, attention, and support they urgently need.