Foster care and foster-adoption are meaningful ways for individuals and couples to fulfill their dream of parenting.
The Children’s Bureau offers a comprehensive foster care and adoption program that brings families together for a lifetime. The agency is in need of resource families for children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or to provide legal permanency by adoption.
In Los Angeles County alone, the foster care population exceeds 21,000 children with 200 of those foster children waiting for an adoptive family. Many of these children are siblings in need of families who are willing and able to keep them together. The bureau turns away at least 10 sibling sets weekly due to lack of families.
“Children’s Bureau focuses on keeping siblings together whenever possible,” said Amy Heilman, the bureau’s Foster Care and Adoption director. “The sibling relationship is a strong and important long-term bond in the life of a child.”
“We see that children adjust better and find more success in life when they join a family with their siblings. It takes away that worry about the safety of their brother or sister. The child can then focus on adjusting to the family they have joined and their new environment.”
Although the bureau finds families for more than 300 at-risk children and finalizes 100 adoptions annually, the need continues for more individuals and families to become resource parents, especially ones who are able to accept siblings.
Resource parents (foster and adoptive) are concerned about the well-being of children and their families. They protect and nurture children, meet their developmental needs, and willingly support the children’s relationships with their birth families.
Children’s Bureau welcomes every individual regardless of race, age, religion, disability, marital status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression to become a resource for children. Qualifying families receive training and support throughout their journey.
The bureau also offers a fee-for-service Domestic /Independent Adoption Home Study Program for families seeking the adoption of an infant whose birth mother is making an adoption plan for her newborn child.
If you are interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents you can attend a monthly information meeting on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Andrew’s Plaza, 11335 West Magnolia Blvd., Suite 2C, North Hollywood, CA 91601. To R.S.V.P. or for more information, call (213) 342-0162 or (800) 730-3933. You can also email us at RFrecruitment@all4kids.org. An application may be downloaded directly from the website www.all4kids.org/program/foster-care/.