(October 6, 2008) –Santa Barbara County is in a foster care crisis. In the last two years, the number of children in need of foster care has increased by a dramatic 585% according to the California Alliance of Child and Family Services. Right now, more than 400 children are separated from their families as a result of physical and mental illness, incarceration, abuse, neglect or abandonment, according to Rena Smith, a social worker with Family Care Network, Inc.
When the only stable and nurturing home available for children in need of foster care is many miles away in another community, children of Santa Barbara must leave their neighborhood, schools, supportive adults and peers—some of the only things that can bring comfort during such a difficult time. When there are no families in Santa Barbara to open their doors to them, it becomes extremely challenging to maintain sibling relationships and work towards reuniting with family. Imagine the difficulty of being moved away from everything that is familiar to you after being separated from your family simply because there are no families willing to share their homes living in your community.
Children throughout Santa Barbara County, particularly Southern Santa Barbara County, are in dire need of local families to provide safe and loving temporary homes. Foster children range in age from newborns to 18 years old, and can be placed with a foster family for as little as a few hours in emergency shelter or may stay for months, depending on the type of foster care needed.
The success of the Family Care Network has led the Santa Barbara Department of Social Services to request that the agency expand their foster care services into Southern Santa Barbara County, answering the need to end this foster care crisis. This expansion project was made possible by a grant from the Santa Barbara Community Foundation. However, achieving success with the children of Santa Barbara is dependent upon the willingness of local families to open their homes to children in need.
The Family Care Network, a private, nonprofit, state-licensed foster family agency serving foster and high-needs children and families living on the Central Coast, delivers programs such as Therapeutic Foster Care, Emergency Shelter Care and Transitional Housing services that have already been proven successful in Northern Santa Barbara County as well as in San Luis Obispo County.
The Family Care Network certifies foster homes, matches children in need with foster families, and ensures all necessary support is given to the children, their foster parents and their families. The agency provides the most comprehensive training and support opportunities of any agency on the Central Coast and offers weekly contact with social workers, team support, and experienced foster parents to mentor and provide guidance. The Family Care Network also provides extensive training, including first aid, CPR, child development, specialized parenting, and more to thoroughly equip caring individuals with the tools needed to positively impact the lives of foster children.
Foster parents of the Family Care Network can be married or single, work full-time or stay at home, have children of their own or not and need to meet state licensing requirements. Excellent tax-exempt monetary compensation is provided to meet the needs of the child and family. All it takes is a compassionate heart, a willingness to impact our community for the better. One Family Care Network foster youth stated “I don't see how my life would've turned out if it hadn't been for [my foster parents]."
Barbara and Dave DeBoer, Family Care Network foster parents serving Santa Barbara County, are available for interviews, as are various other staff members with the Family Care Network. To learn more about how you can positively impact the life of a foster child in Santa Barbara County by becoming a foster parent, please contact the Family Care Network at (805) 781-3535 or visit fcni.org.