May is recognized as Foster Care Month in Fairfax County, highlighting the theme “Supporting Foster Care Changes Lives.” In a recent episode of the County Conversation podcast, Jim Person hosted Julie Bowman, program manager with Foster Care and Adoption Resource and Support at the Department of Family Services. They discussed the significance of foster care and the ongoing need for more foster parents.
As of February 2025, Virginia had 5,482 children in foster care, with 247 residing in Fairfax County. Despite being Virginia’s largest jurisdiction, Fairfax County boasts one of the lowest rates of children entering foster care nationwide.
Julie Bowman emphasized the county’s proactive approach: “We have a very strong prevention program, and our staff work really hard to provide families with the services they need while the children are still in their care so we can avoid the restrictiveness of foster care.”
