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New 'Sesame Street' Muppet Karli Addresses Foster Care [VIDEO]
One of the reasons why popular HBO children's show Sesame Street has lasted as long as it has and had such a monumental influence over the hearts and minds of millions of children is that it doesn't shy away from societal topics even "grown up" shows are afraid to touch. A perfect example of this came this week, with the series taking addressing the difficult, sensitive issues of homelessness and foster care through new, yellow-haired muppet Karli and her "for-now parents" Dalia and Clem.
Karli will be spotlighted in a series of videos, interactive family activities, and storybooks that will be available online for free through the "Sesame Street in Communities" program. The Sesame Workshop initiative provides free educational resources for community providers and caregivers on a number of subjects – ranging from health and well-being to school readiness to emotional well-being. "Sesame Street in Communities" goal is to help children and the adults in their lives reach their highest personal potential.
Take a minute to meet Karli for yourselves below:
"Fostering a child takes patience, resilience, and sacrifice, and we know that caring adults hold the power to buffer the effects of traumatic experiences on young children. We want foster parents and providers to hear that what they do matters—they have the enormous job of building and rebuilding family structures and children's sense of safety. By giving the adults in children's lives the tools they need—with help from the Sesame Street Muppets—we can help both grownups and children feel seen and heard and give them a sense of hope for the future."
– Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, SVP of US Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Based on recent findings from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Children's Bureau, there are more than 440,000 children and youth currently in the country's foster care system.