What is a Foster Care Community?
Of course, a foster care community includes foster parents and children in foster care as well as their biological parents and families.
We believe a Foster Care Community should be comprised of so much more!
We believe a Foster Care Community should also include people within a community dedicated to enriching the lives of children in foster care, their families and the foster parents who serve them by educating themselves and enlightening others within their respective community about foster care in order to reduce the stigma that is so often associated with it.
Children in foster care feel ostracized and different due to no fault of their own, from simply being removed from their family of origin. These children often have lost everything familiar to them – their parent(s), their home, their toys, their school, their friends, and all too often, even their siblings.
It is vitally important for each community to come together and embrace children who find themselves in foster care. How, you may ask? Welcome them into your church; your neighborhood; your school; your home. Be kind to them. Let your children play with them. You may be asking, “Who wouldn’t do that?” You would truly be surprised….
Community leaders, such as first responders, hospitals, schools, churches, city/town officials, civic groups, and others: Let’s come together to benefit the most vulnerable children within our communities. There are several ways you can be a part of your Foster Care Community!
As a Community Leader, you can recognize and help others recognize:
- Today’s children are tomorrow’s community leaders.
- Those in crisis must be nurtured in a safe, secure and stable home in order to become successful adults.
- The importance of keeping children with their siblings AND within their own communities, schools and familiar surroundings whenever possible.
- When it isn’t possible to keep a child within their community of origin, it is extremely important for them to be accepted and made to feel a part of their new, temporary community by everyone involved.
- Children in care need to be treated with kindness and dignity by not only the adults within the community, but by the children of these adults as well.
- All children, including teens, in foster care deserve to be part of a family when they must be removed from their homes of origin.
As a Community Leader, you can reach out to someone in charge within your particular agency, company, school, church, ... and make them aware:
- Safe and thriving communities are vital to the citizens in order to work, shop and enjoy life and liberty within each respective community.
- Working together to educate and enlighten those within a community serves to enrich the lives of its citizens.
- There is a need for additional foster homes within each and every community within the state who are willing to serve children and youth of all ages.
- Committing to a partnership with the South Carolina Foster Parent Association to achieve this objective will require nothing other than a little time and a desire to see your community grow stronger by working together for the sake of vulnerable children, their families and the families who serve them.
SCFPA organized
Programs
Whether you need community service hours or simply have a heartfelt calling to help children in need, we have opportunities available. Whether placing yard signs and posters, providing backpacks and/or contents for the Pack a SACK (Sponsor a College Kid) program, or starting a foster/adoptive parent program within your SC based church or organization…we have something for everyone!
Non-Discrimination
Policy & Disclaimer:
No information on this site is intended to serve as legal advice.
What Non-Discrimination? It is the policy of the SCFPA not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability.
Disclaimer The SCFPA is providing the information on this website as a public service. All information on this site is intended to be accurate, complete, and timely; however, the SCFPA does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. This website contains links to other websites. The SCFPA does not endorse, insure the accuracy of, or vouch for the safety and privacy of any linked sites nor does it assume any responsibility for the content found on those sites. The links provided on this site are intended to support and provide more information about the SCFPA and Foster Care. It is the responsibility of the web surfer to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from other sites. The SCFPA webmaster works diligently to make sure our site is accurate and timely. However, the immediate and fast-moving nature of this medium means that there may be links on this site that have changed or are no longer functional. We apologize in advance if this should occur and assure you that we are continually updating, reviewing, and improving our site and its content.