PALMDALE – Children’s Bureau is now offering two virtual ways for individuals and couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
A live Zoom Orientation is scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 21, and it will be hosted by a Children’s Bureau team member and a foster parent. For those who want to learn at their own pace about becoming a foster or foster-adopt parent, an online orientation presentation is available. To R.S.V.P. for the live orientation or to request the online orientation, email rfrecruitment@all4kids.org or call 661-289-4231.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, Children’s Bureau has canceled all in-person foster care-adoption resource parent information meetings.
The current health crisis has accelerated the need for foster and foster-adoptive parents to help local at-risk youth stay in their communities. In Los Angeles County alone, the foster care population exceeds 33,000 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. In fact, Children’s Bureau turns away at least 10 sibling sets weekly due to lack of families. Older children are also in need of families.
“Being a foster parent lets you help someone in their time of need. You’re the support system for a child and for their parents,” said Brittany, who with her husband Jeremy, foster-adopted two sibling children. The couple has three biological children and knew that fostering was something they wanted to do. “Children’s Bureau has been there to help get us through the challenging times and to celebrate the special moments, especially when the adoption of our two children was finalized,” Jeremy added. Watch Brittany and Jeremy’s story here.
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. For questions or to get started, call 661-289-4231 or toll-free 833-983-2837 or click here to complete an inquiry form.
[Information via news release from Children’s Bureau.]
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