FOSTER CARE
Foster Care At-A-Glance
There are times when difficult circumstances prevent children from living with their parents. Sometimes when this happens, it is necessary for those children to live outside of their home with someone who can provide them a safe and nurturing environment. Webster Cantrell Youth Advocacy provides a variety of Foster Care services that are tailored for each child’s unique situation, which may also include Visitation and Family Habilitation services.
Types of Foster Care
There are multiple types of Foster Care.
Traditional Foster Care offers non-relative homes to children who have been removed from their homes for safety reasons. The length of stay for each child varies. Services are provided to aid in the reunification of the family and other means of permanency for the child.
Relative Foster Care serves children who have been removed from their homes for safety reasons, but have relatives who can provide a safe and loving home environment. Services are provided to aid in the reunification of the family and other means of permanency for the child.
Fictive Kin Foster Care serves children who have been removed from their homes for safety reasons, but have an individual, unrelated by birth or marriage, who is shown to have close personal or emotional ties with the child or the child’s family prior to the child’s placement with the individual, who can provide the child with a safe and nurturing environment. Services are provided to aid in the reunification of the family and other means of permanency for the child.
Foster Family After Care serves children who have successfully returned home to their parents. This program provides case management and counseling services in order to stabilize the newly reunited family. Services can continue for up to nine months.
For help with terminology, please click here.
Many of our Children...
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Suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and neglect
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Have been deprived of adequate food, clothing, and shelter
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Have watched years of domestic violence in their home
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Have not had education stressed as a priority
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Were victims of violent tempers often fueled by alcohol and/or drugs
What can you do to help?
There are many ways you can help to change the life of a child. For some, opening their hearts and homes by becoming a licensed foster parent is one way. However, because being a foster parent is not for everyone, donations that go towards providing much needed items for children in Foster Care is another way.
Contacts
If you are a client, please contact your caseworker first and foremost. Below are program supervisors that can be contacted in the case of an emergency or for questions/concerns.
Sandra Puhlman
Director of Foster Care Services
217-423-6961 ext. 2145