Foster care plays a vital role in communities, offering safe and nurturing environments for children and adults in need. The Virginia Beach Foster Care Program stands as a beacon of hope, providing essential services and support to individuals and families within the region. This guide delves into the intricacies of the program, exploring its services, the process of becoming a foster parent, and the profound impact it has on the lives of vulnerable individuals in Virginia Beach.
Understanding Foster Care in Virginia Beach
The core mission of the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program is to ensure the well-being and permanency of children and adults who cannot remain safely in their own homes. Recognizing the paramount importance of family, the program strives to either reunify individuals with their biological families when possible or create stable, permanent alternative homes.
Services offered through the program are comprehensive and designed to address diverse needs. These may include:
- Counseling and treatment to support emotional and behavioral health.
- Daycare services to assist working foster parents and provide enriching experiences for children.
- Medical and educational support to ensure the holistic development of individuals in care.
- Employment assistance and independent living skills training, particularly for older foster youth transitioning into adulthood.
- Family planning resources and housing assistance to support families involved in the foster care system.
- Respite care to provide temporary relief for foster parents.
- Legal services and socialization opportunities to navigate the system and foster community connections.
- Recreational activities to promote well-being and normalcy.
Image alt text: Joyful scene of foster family in Virginia Beach home, showcasing the warmth and support of the foster care program.
For older foster children, the program places a strong emphasis on independent living services. These crucial services equip teenagers with the necessary skills and resources to successfully transition into adulthood, fostering self-sufficiency and resilience.
The Path to Permanency and Child Welfare
At the heart of the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program lies the commitment to achieving permanency for every child in care. The child’s welfare is always the paramount concern, and the program upholds the fundamental right of children to a safe, stable, and permanent home.
The program operates on the principle that children should be raised by their own families whenever it is safe and adequate to do so. Recognizing the unfortunate reality that some families face challenges preventing reunification, the program prioritizes securing alternative permanent solutions.
These permanency options include:
- Placement with relatives: Prioritizing kinship care by placing children with family members and transferring legal custody when appropriate.
- Adoption: Facilitating adoption when reunification is not possible, providing children with loving and permanent families.
- Permanent Foster Care: Establishing long-term foster care placements when adoption or kinship care are not viable options, ensuring stability and ongoing support.
When selecting foster or adoptive families, the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program acknowledges the importance of cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds as one of many factors in determining the best interests of the child. This approach ensures culturally sensitive and appropriate placements that honor the child’s identity and heritage.
Reasonable Efforts and Family Reunification
Federal and State laws mandate that “reasonable efforts” be made to prevent the removal of children from their homes and to facilitate their safe return. The Virginia Beach Foster Care Program diligently adheres to this legal and ethical obligation.
“Reasonable efforts” encompass providing comprehensive services to children and their families, leveraging community resources to preserve family unity. These efforts are proactive and aim to address the underlying issues that led to the child’s entry into foster care.
At the initial court hearing, a judicial determination is made to assess whether reasonable efforts have been undertaken. Even after an agency assumes custody, the commitment to reunification continues. The program meticulously documents ongoing reasonable efforts to either reunify the child with their family or secure a permanent placement through alternative means.
During temporary foster care placements, a range of supportive services are readily available to both children and parents. These services are strategically designed to improve family conditions, paving the way for reunification or exploring other permanency options like relative placement or adoption.
Image alt text: Compassionate social worker engaging with child in Virginia Beach foster care setting, highlighting the personalized support provided by the program.
However, there are specific exceptions to the “reasonable efforts” requirement for reunification, primarily in cases where parental actions pose significant risks to child safety. These exceptions include situations where:
- Parental rights have been involuntarily terminated for a sibling of the child.
- A parent has been convicted of serious violent crimes against a child, including murder, manslaughter, or felony assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
- A parent has been convicted of felony sexual assault against a child.
Residential Placement: An Alternative Approach
While the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program prioritizes family-based foster care, residential placement serves as an alternative when necessary. Residential placement involves placing a foster child in a licensed facility, such as a group home or psychiatric hospital, that provides 24-hour care outside of a private family home.
Residential facilities offer specialized care and treatment for children with complex needs who may benefit from a structured environment. These programs vary in size, the types of children they serve, staffing qualifications, and the specific services offered.
Before considering residential placement, the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program mandates specific procedures to ensure it is the most appropriate option. These include:
- Attempting to utilize community-based services and less restrictive alternatives first.
- Complying with local procedures established by the Community Policy and Management Team (CPMT) and Family Assessment & Planning Team (FAPT).
- Thoroughly documenting these processes in the child’s case record.
Selecting the Right Placement
Choosing the most suitable residential facility involves a careful assessment process. The program prioritizes matching the child’s unique needs with the services offered by each facility. Input from the child and parents (or prior custodians) is actively sought to determine the appropriateness of a residential placement.
Factors considered in placement decisions include:
- The child’s diagnosis and specific treatment needs.
- The accessibility of the placement for parents or prior custodians to maintain contact.
- The child’s and family’s readiness for residential placement and treatment.
- Opportunities for parental and family involvement in the treatment plan.
- Services designed to facilitate the child’s return to the community.
- The anticipated duration of treatment.
- Cost considerations and available funding resources.
- A comprehensive transition plan to support the child’s return to their family or community.
Residential placements are generally viewed as a last resort, considered only after exploring all other less restrictive options. Referral to the FAPT is essential to thoroughly discuss assessments and planning for a child who may require residential care.
Becoming a Foster Parent in Virginia Beach
Foster parents are the heart of the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program. They provide invaluable substitute family experiences to children in the community who, temporarily, cannot live with their own families. These dedicated individuals open their homes and hearts to children in need, offering stability, nurturing, and positive home environments.
Foster parents are professional caregivers who possess a genuine passion for parenting and a willingness to share their lives with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect. The duration of a child’s stay in foster care varies, but the average placement lasts between twelve to twenty-four months.
The Virginia Beach Foster Care Program provides extensive resources to support foster parents, ensuring they have the tools and assistance they need to succeed. These resources include:
- Training: Comprehensive pre-service training is mandatory for all prospective foster parents, followed by ongoing monthly in-service training to enhance skills and knowledge. Foster parents are required to complete 10 hours of in-service training annually.
- Board Rate: Foster parents receive a set monthly board rate, the amount of which is determined by the age of the foster child, to help cover the costs of care.
- Insurance: Children in foster care are eligible for medical and dental coverage through Medicaid or their biological family’s insurance.
- Day Care: Working foster parents can access subsidized daycare services through licensed providers, ensuring childcare support when needed.
- Clothing Allowance: Clothing vouchers are available upon a child’s entry into foster care and annually thereafter to help meet clothing needs. Diaper vouchers are also provided for infants entering care.
- Dual Certification: Upon successful completion of the home study, families are dually certified as foster and adoptive parents. This streamlined process enables them to readily adopt a foster child placed in their home if adoption becomes the permanency plan.
- Support Groups: Quarterly foster parent support groups offer a valuable platform for foster parents to connect with peers, share experiences, and build a supportive community network.
- Mental Health Services: The program facilitates access to individual and family therapy and medication management services for foster children requiring mental health support.
Image alt text: Virginia Beach foster parent training session, showcasing the program’s commitment to equipping caregivers with necessary skills and support.
Minimum Requirements to Become a Foster Parent
To become a certified foster parent in Virginia Beach, individuals must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Be at least 21 years of age.
- If married, be married for at least one year.
- Have sufficient living space to accommodate an additional child or children.
- Ensure all adult household members (18 and older) have no felony or misdemeanor convictions that could jeopardize a child’s safety and no founded child abuse or neglect cases.
- Ensure household members between 14-17 years of age have no founded child abuse or neglect cases.
- Be physically and mentally capable of providing appropriate child care.
- Possess a current driver’s license and a safe driving record.
- Have a sincere desire to provide a temporary safe and nurturing home for children in need.
Steps to Certification
The journey to becoming a certified foster parent in Virginia Beach involves a structured process:
- Attend an Information Session: Participate in a foster parent information session to gain a comprehensive understanding of the certification process and receive an information packet.
- Complete Pre-Service Training: Attend evening pre-service training sessions.
- Submit Application: Submit the dual certification application (provided during pre-service training) as soon as possible to initiate the home study process.
- Home Study: Engage in the home study process, which includes office visits, in-home visits, and a home safety inspection.
- Fingerprinting and Background Checks: Complete fingerprinting for all adult household members (18 and over) and Child Protective Services checks for family members over 14 years old.
- Medical and DMV Checks: Complete a TB test, provide physician’s statement, and undergo DMV checks.
- Provide References: Submit at least three personal references.
- Committee Review: The Foster Care Committee reviews the home study and makes approval decisions.
- Certification: Upon successful review, the certification process is complete!
Home Study Requirements
During the home study, the following items will be collected or reviewed to ensure a safe and supportive environment for foster children:
- Access to a phone and reliable contact information.
- A physically safe and suitable home environment.
- A written fire safety evacuation plan.
- An emergency evacuation plan for hurricanes or other disasters.
- A fire extinguisher and a first aid kit.
- Documentation of a recent TB test (within the last year) and a physician’s statement confirming health and capacity for foster parenting.
- Up-to-date pet inoculation records and assurance of no dangerous pets.
- FBI fingerprint check results.
- DMV records, car insurance, safety inspection sticker, and registration.
- A completed financial form and copy of a pay stub.
- Marriage, divorce, or death certificates (if applicable).
- Personal references (3).
Frequently Asked Questions about Virginia Beach Foster Care
What is foster care?
Foster care is a program that offers temporary substitute family life experiences for children in the community who cannot safely remain with their own families. The court entrusts the child’s custody to Social Services.
What is traditional foster care?
Traditional foster care provides approved homes that offer stable, positive environments for infants, children, and teens who are unable to live with their families for various reasons. The length of stay varies, averaging around thirty-six months.
Who are foster parents?
Foster parents come from diverse backgrounds – they could be retirees, single individuals, working professionals, and many others. They are caring adults who are passionate about parenting and willing to share their homes and lives with children who have experienced challenges.
Who are children in foster care?
Children in foster care range in age from newborns to 21 years old. Many have experienced abuse or neglect. Some may have physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral challenges stemming from past trauma. Sibling groups and children from minority backgrounds are also frequently in need of foster care.
Where do foster children come from?
Foster children come from all cultural and economic backgrounds within the community. They enter foster care due to circumstances such as abuse, neglect, abandonment, or the death of a parent, when courts determine temporary separation from their families is necessary.
How long is temporary?
A child’s stay in foster care can range from overnight to longer periods, depending on the family and child’s needs. The average stay is twelve to twenty-four months.
What is the goal of foster care?
The primary goal is to reunify children with their biological families. When reunification is not possible, the program strives to achieve permanency through adoption or preparation for independent adult living.
Are foster care and adoption the same thing?
No. In foster care, Social Services holds legal custody and ultimate responsibility for the child. In adoption, custody and responsibility transfer to the adoptive family.
Can I be single or work and still be a foster parent?
Yes. Single individuals and working professionals can become certified foster parents. Each situation is assessed individually to determine the types and ages of children that would be a suitable match.
Is financial assistance available?
Foster families receive a maintenance payment to help cover the child’s expenses while in their care. Children in foster care are also covered by Medicaid for medical, dental, and mental health services.
Do foster parents have a choice about children who are placed with them?
Yes. The program considers your preferences, strengths, and needs before placing a child in your home. You are encouraged to ask questions about a child’s background and are not obligated to accept a placement if you feel it’s not a good fit.
What is the foster parent’s responsibility to the child?
Foster parents are entrusted with the child’s daily physical and emotional care. They are expected to adhere to agency training and discipline policies, including Virginia’s policy on non-physical discipline.
How do I become a foster parent?
The process involves three main steps: completing pre-service training, undergoing a home study (including visits, interviews, references, and background checks), and committee review and approval.
How do I begin?
To start the process of becoming a foster parent, contact Kaishanta Hernandez at 757-385-3737.
Adult Foster Care in Virginia Beach
The Virginia Beach Foster Care Program extends its caring services to adults with special needs through adult foster care. This program enables individuals to open their homes to adults requiring specialized support.
Adult foster care services cater to the following populations:
- Young adults with lifelong disabilities who were previously in foster care.
- Adults with mental health needs.
- Adults with developmental disabilities.
- Older adults needing supportive living arrangements.
Responsibilities of adult foster care providers include:
- Supervising the adults in their care.
- Providing meals and nutritional support.
- Organizing recreational activities to enhance quality of life.
- Maintaining a comfortable and supportive home environment.
Requirements for becoming an adult foster care provider include:
- Submitting an application.
- Undergoing a tuberculosis test.
- Providing a financial statement.
- Participating in criminal background checks and Child Protective Services/Adult Protective Services background checks.
- Undergoing a home inspection to ensure compliance with city codes.
- Having a fire inspection conducted.
- Providing personal references.
- Attending required training sessions.
If you are interested in providing specialized care to adults in need, please call 757-385-3473 for further information.
The Virginia Beach Foster Care Program is a vital community resource, dedicated to providing compassionate care and creating brighter futures for children and adults in need. By understanding the program’s services and exploring opportunities to get involved, you can contribute to making a profound difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals in Virginia Beach.
