ALEXANDRIA, Va., (May 19, 2015) – In conjunction with National Foster Care Month and as part of its mission to advocate for every child, National PTA® announced the launch of a new online video series today that spotlights the nearly 400,000 children and youth in foster care in the U.S. and celebrates the people making a meaningful difference in their lives. The video series is part of National PTA’s Every Child in Focus campaign and is supported by LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK), the industry leader in proactive identity theft protection.

“May is National Foster Care Month, an important time to celebrate foster children and acknowledge families, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals and other members of the community who help them find permanent homes and reach their full potential,” said Otha Thornton, president of National PTA. “National PTA is committed to supporting and speaking up for every child, and we are pleased to launch the video series to share stories and information about foster children and families as well as equip school communities with tools to help make a difference for the lives and futures of children in foster care.” 

The series includes four videos that address the following:

• What is foster care?
• What are the misconceptions of children in foster care?
• In what ways are foster children vulnerable?
• What ways can we celebrate the success of foster children and families?

The videos feature interviews with social workers, foster parents, former foster children and other experts in foster care. Financial expert Jean Chatzky, foster parent and PTA leader Sam Macer, and Baltimore County Department of Social Services Assistant Director Judith Shagrin are among those featured in the videos.

National PTA’s Every Child in Focus campaign is designed to celebrate the achievements and report the disparities within diverse populations, while sharing resources and advocacy tools to help school communities understand and address the unique needs of every child. Each month, National PTA spotlights the educational challenges surrounding a particular group, highlights their accomplishments and focuses on ways to foster family-school partnerships and better support every child.

In addition to the video series, National PTA has developed resources on the unique challenges foster children face and ways school communities can help them succeed in the classroom and beyond.

To learn more about the video series, visit PTA.org/fostercare. For more information on National PTA’s Every Child in Focus campaign, visit PTA.org/everychild.

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth.