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Foster Care Program - A Lifeline for Children and Families In Need
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Do you have an empty chair at your table? Please consider filling that chair with a foster or adoptive child.
Foster Care is a program that provides services, substitute care, and supervision for a child on a 24-hour basis until the child can return to his or her family or be placed in a permanent home. |
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There are many children in the New River Valley needing a loving home. When the Department of Social Services-trained foster families are not available, many children are placed away from their families and friends, outside of their neighborhoods and school system. Let's keep our children in our community.
If you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent:
- Please call (540) 382-6990
- A representative will send out an informational packet along with an application
- After you have reviewed the information, you then call Lucy Brizendine - the Foster & Adoptive Parent Recruiter. She will talk with you about scheduling a home visit
- This home visit will give you a chance to ask any questions and let us start gathering information on your family
- There is usually one visit before our training program begins
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| Who we are. |
The Resource Advocacy Partnership grant began in 2004, and it enables the New River Valley Social Services agencies to join together for recruitment, training, and approving foster and resource families. The five Departments of Social Services include: Floyd County, Giles County, Montgomery County, Pulaski County, and Radford City. DePaul Family Services provides adoption services and preparation for children and families as requested.
The NRV Social Services agencies use the PRIDE curriculum, a nationally recognized curriculum to train foster, resource, and adoptive families. One of the features of PRIDE is that a foster parent is a co-trainer with agency staff. Prospective foster, resource, and adoptive families are invited to participate in training. The families approved after completing the PRIDE training program are placed into a “pool” for all 5 Departments of Social Services to utilize for placements. This creates a greater number of possible matches for our children, so that the children can be matched with local families who can best meet their needs. |
| Who are the children? |
| Children needing foster care range in age from infancy to 21 years old. A child may be alone or have brothers and sisters who need a home together. Many children have been neglected, abused, abandoned, or have special medical needs. As a result, they may struggle with emotional or behavioral issues. For the best match between the foster child and foster family, Lucy Brizendine works closely with each prospective foster family to determine what ages and behaviors they are willing to consider. |
| What do foster parents offer? |
| In addition to essential safety and comfort, foster parents offer children opportunities for hope and healing. Even though a foster home may be only temporary, the bond between foster parents and children is often very long-lasting. Foster parents provide children with positive role models they carry with them all their lives — a priceless gift that foster children may some day pass to their own sons and daughters. Foster parents have the opportunity to reshape our world in hopes of building a better future. Foster parents are a lot like you. An understanding, caring attitude, a sense of humor, and a dedication to children. |
| You have what it takes to be a foster parent if you have these attributes and are: |
- At least 21 years old
- Financially able to provide for your family's present needs
- Single, married, divorced, or widowed
- Physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of caring for a child
- A family with or without children
- A renter or homeowner
- Willing to participate in and complete the required training for NRV families
- Demonstrate competency in five categories: Protect & nurture children, Meet developmental needs & address developmental delays, Support children’s relationships with their families, Connect children to nurturing relationships intended to last a lifetime, and Be a member of a professional team
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| We're here to help |
Foster parents need patience, dedication, commitment, and the ability to work as a team. But they never need to feel alone. We provide foster parents with the following:
- 24-hour on-call support
- Resource Library—books, magazines, and videos on topics such as discipline, foster parenting, adoption, and educational needs of children
- Maintenance payment for the care of the child—based on the age of the child. Foster parenting cannot be a source of income for you
- A support system of other foster parents to call when celebrating, sad, or have questions
- Virginia Medicaid for all children in foster care, which covers expenses such as medical bills, dental bills, and counseling
- Clothing allotment—yearly amount given based on the age of the child
- Daycare—agency pays for daycare services if the foster parent is employed
To learn more, call Lucy Brizendine at: 540-382-6990 ext. 260 or email lab121@western.dss.state.va.us. |
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| Contact Information |
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Health and Human Services Building
210 South Pepper Street, Suite B
PO Box 789
Christiansburg VA, 24068-0789
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| Phone: | (540) 382-6990 |
| Fax: | (540) 382-6945 |
| lln121@western.dss.state.va.us |
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| Hours: | Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
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