The Need
- At any given time, there are over 900 children in foster/kinship care in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
- The Family Care Network serves almost 100 foster children per month, but turns away children each month due to a lack of foster families!
- Research has shown that children receive more effective care when placed in a family setting than when placed in institutional care. For this reason, California has worked to substantially reduce group home placements, opting to instead place high-needs children with agencies like FCNI. But there are still thousands of children being cared for in group homes who need foster families to receive the support necessary for success.
Essential Qualifications
- Have a genuine desire to help foster children, especially youth with challenging circumstances.
- Be willing to regularly participate in training and support groups.
- Possess a home that meets state health and safety requirements, and have the ability to provide safe, reliable transportation.
- Have no criminal record and be free from drug and/or alcohol problems.
Qualified Foster Parents will Receive
- Tax exempt monetary compensation based on type of foster care provided.
- Respite and 24/7 support from professional staff.
- Excellent training, including but not limited to: CPR/ First Aid, Communication and Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Training, behavioral management and crisis intervention.