Brenda Hawkins looks Friday at a book containing photos of foster children at a fair aimed at increasing the number of caregivers. Photo by Clint Karlsen.

As a nurse at Westcare, Ginger Calder spends a lot of time caring for infants.

She said it's hard not to get attached to the children at the drug treatment center. Some have parents with alcohol and drug problems.

"It breaks my heart to see these kids sometimes," she said. And it's always tough to see them go, she said.

As a result, Calder has decided to take her involvement with children a step further. She and her husband, Richard, are going through the process of becoming foster parents.

Calder was among more than 100 potential foster parents who showed up Friday at a recruitment fair sponsored by the Clark County Department of Family Services. The event, which continues today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Palace Station, helps interested people expedite the process of becoming a licensed foster parent.

Interested participants can attend orientation meetings, go through a pre-screening process and be fingerprinted.

Tom Morton, the new director of Family Services, hopes the fair will open more foster homes and help alleviate overcrowding at Child Haven, the county's short-term emergency children's shelter. More than 150 children are currently at Child Haven and, Morton said, the county needs 300 to 400 new foster homes.

Some who showed up at Friday's fair already have raised their own kids and are experiencing "empty nest" syndrome. Liz and J.J. Bonner of Las Vegas said they are looking to care for an infant because their own kids have grown up and "it'd be nice to have a baby to take care of," Liz Bonner said.

Wanda Porter, a training coordinator with Family Services, said several barriers prevent people from becoming foster parents. The three- to four-month process can be daunting, she said, a problem the fair is intended to address.

Brenda Miller, who attended the event, said she understands why the screening is so selective but thinks many qualified parents can be deterred from applying because of the lengthy process.

Foster parent applicants must undergo criminal and background checks, be at least 21 years old, be financially responsible and attend training courses.

Family Services spokeswoman Gina Olivares said another challenge is that many people have a hard time letting go of the children. As a result, 75 percent of foster families request "low legal risk" children, who are more likely to be available for adoption.

Olivares said there are more than 300 available beds for low legal risk children, but not enough people are willing to take on the children who need only temporary foster care. The issue has contributed to the strain on Child Haven, causing the county to place a hold on families looking for low legal risk children.

Most families are looking for infants or young children, and teenagers often are considered "special needs" cases because their age prevents them from being adopted, Porter said.

Miller said she wasn't interested in adopting teenagers because they "already have their minds made up."

Porter said many applicants expand the age range of children they're willing to care for as they go through the process and see more children in need.

Porter said it's a myth that people become foster parents for the added income. With only $19 to $21 per day per foster child, she said it's not a "get rich quick scheme."

Despite the added work and expense, most people at the fair said they wanted to get involved to give back to the community and help children.

Helene Glover of Las Vegas said she has always been the "mom" of her neighborhood by baby-sitting, handing out treats and playing Playstation 2 with kids. She said she wants to give back on a more permanent basis because she feels it is her responsibility to her community.

"These are human beings and they are the future," she said. "These are our future congressmen and future doctors. They will be a part of our world, and without a real family, then these kids will be future purse snatchers and future carjackers -- criminals. We need to help out to give these kids a home."