Childhelp Foster Family & Adoption Programs of California

Childhelp Foster Family has a new e-mail address for placement referrals. For placement referrals, please send your request to the following:

caffa_referrals@childhelp.org

This e-mail will connect you directly with the intake personnel from both our San Bernardino and Hollywood offices, where we will be available to assist you with placement referrals 24 hours a day 7 days a week, in hopes this new e-mail system will assist you with matching your children with our foster families in a more timely manner.

For any questions or inquiries, please email Pold@childhelp.org

The emotions of overhearing him casually and securely refer to you as ‘My Mom and Dad’ to a friend, long before he does to your face. And when he does finally let it slip to you, to watch the shy smile of hope come over his face, knowing he is accepted and okay here.
~ Foster parent

Currently, there are more than 100,000 children in California’s foster care system who need to be placed in safe and secure homes while receiving the care and nurturing they currently do not experience in their home environments. For over 20 years, Childhelp’s Foster Family and Adoption Programs of California have connected loving families with children by actively recruiting, certifying and training foster/adoptive families in Southern California. From its offices in Hollywood and Redlands, critical services can be offered and provided to children most in need. Foster care and adoption services Childhelp offers include S.A.F.E. adoption home studies and preparing families for adoptive placement.

“Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.”

Each foster/adoptive child welcomed into Childhelp’s Foster Family and Adoption Agency has access to a well-qualified clinical coordinator who provides weekly case management and individual or family counseling. Crisis intervention services are also provided throughout a child’s stay with a foster family. A child’s medical, dental, developmental, and educational needs are monitored on a regular basis. Once a child is placed in a home, Childhelp is committed to providing assistance and community-based program referrals to the entire family.

What will the Childhelp Foster Family Agency Provide?

While some foster parents are open to the idea of adopting or pursuing legal guardianship of the children in their care, all families know and understand that Childhelp is committed to supporting the reunification of children with their guardians. Childhelp reinforces positive parenting techniques, and collaborative communication across family systems to ensure the best possible care for every child. Foster families benefit from respite services and events supported by Childhelp and the local community.

What does it take to be a foster parent?

• Ability to provide a secure and nurturing home.
• Be part of partnership between the child’s social worker, therapist, teachers and physicians.
• Completion of 30–38 hours of training.
• Commitment, understanding, patience, and the willingness to accept and provide guidance to children with diverse backgrounds and challenges.
• Provide consistent, fair, and age appropriate guidance for children.
• Potential foster/adoptive parents are screened through a series of interviews, background checks, training, and home interviews.
• Be 21 years of age or older.
• Be married or single.
• Be a resident of the State of California.
• Be employed or have a source of viable income.
• Have space in your home for a child.
• Have a working automobile and auto insurance, as well as home owners or renter’s insurance.
• What will the Childhelp Foster Family and Adoption Agency Provide?
• Free foster/adoptive parent training so you can earn the hours you need to become certified as a therapeutic foster/adoptive home.
• Once certified, ongoing training to help you be a successful foster/adoptive parent.
• Individual counseling for each foster/adoptive child.
• 24-hour on call support services for emergency situations.
• Respite care to give you a break when you need one.
• Financial stipend of up to $800 a month per foster child to cover the cost of bringing a child or teen in need into your home. This covers expenses such as food, housing, clothing, transportation, personal care, recreation and allowance (Funds are not taxable as income.)
• Referral (financial) incentive for referring new interested families to foster or adopt.

Enrichment Programs

• Group counseling for foster youth and family counseling for both foster and adoptive families.
• Transportation assistance is offered when available to take the foster children to court appointments, visitations with guardians, siblings, etc.
• Monthly foster parent support groups/training.

Program Characteristics

• Childhelp provides counseling for children placed in foster care to assist children with living away from their guardians.
• For each year of foster care service, Childhelp provides and pays foster care families with an increasing amount of days of paid respite care. This allows foster parents to obtain childcare for up to five days of planned (e.g., vacation) or unplanned (e.g., family emergency) time for each foster child under their care without the financial burden.
• We are proud to be of the approved sites for a rotation of interns and residents from a local teaching hospital and universities including Loma Linda University, University of Southern California, and other schools.
• Childhelp is able to serve children from various California counties including, but not limited to, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Imperial County and Orange County.