Foster
Children enter into foster care when they are removed from their homes due to various forms of neglect and abuse. Foster families provide a safe place for children to live, be cared for, and be loved while they wait for the possibility of being reunified with their biological family. Foster care is intended to be a short term solution while efforts are made to return the child(ren) to their family or place with a relative. When this is not possible, foster children become available for adoption. There is a great need for foster families in Virginia to open their hearts and homes to caring for these vulnerable children. Families who are open to caring for medically fragile infants, older youth, and for sibling sets are especially needed.
Adopt
For children who are unable to return home, their option becomes adoption. There are currently more than 177, 000 children in the foster care system waiting to be adopted. There is a great need for families to step into this space. Children who have been in foster care will have experienced loss and trauma which will cause them to have special emotional, behavioral and sometimes physical needs that their adoptive families will need to be prepared to meet. In the Diocese of Arlington, Catholic Charities has a program dedicated to finding, training and supporting families who hope to adopt from foster care, called the Waiting Child Adoption Program. Catholic Charities seeks to equip families with the tools and support needed to meet the special needs of these children, to create a safe and healing home and help children thrive.
The average age of a child in foster care is 8 years old. Many children available for adoption have “special needs” meaning that they will qualify for additional assistance and support to help them in their adoptive placement. “Special Needs” regarding adopted children would refer to specific factors or conditions such as: having a particular racial or ethnic background, being part of a sibling group needing to be placed together as one unit, medical conditions or physical, mental or emotional disabilities that would qualify that child for ongoing medical and/or financial support after the adoption occurs.
Support
How might God be calling you to be part of the solution? Not everyone is called to foster or adopt but everyone can do something. Can you bring a meal to a family recently placed? Are you able to provide mentorship or respite care? Can you spiritually adopt a foster or adoptive family and pray for them as they navigate the many challenges that they will face? It is much easier for families to say “yes” to the calling of foster and adoption when they are part of a community that wraps them with prayer, encouragement and support. Below, you will find specific information on how to build a community of support at your own parish.
Pathways to Get Involved
Not everyone is called to foster or adopt, but EVERYONE can do something!
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Foster families are needed now more than ever to support family reunification and provide children who enter foster care with opportunities to remain connected to their families and home communities.
When considering becoming a foster parent, families can choose to work with their local Department of Social Services (public agency) or work with a Licensed Child Placing Agency in Virginia (private agency)
DSS: In order to connect prospective foster parents with their local departments of social services, Virginia has established the Faster Families Highway. By creating an account, you'll be put on the fastest pathway to becoming a foster parent and beginning your journey of supporting children and families in your local community.
Child Placing Agency: There are many licensed, private agencies across Northern Virginia that support families interested in foster care and adoption. Private agencies may be able to offer additional services, case management and support to foster families, at no cost to the families. Child placing agencies work with DSS to provide additional placement options for children in foster care.
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Families open to adopting a child foster child are greatly needed. Today there are more than 117,000 children and teens in foster care who are waiting for the love and security that a permanent home provides.
View some of the children in need of homes today
Catholic Charities’ in the Diocese of Arlington offers a Waiting Child Adoption Program to help families who desire to adopt from the foster care system. Catholic Charities licenses adoptive families to adopt from foster care and helps them to match with children available for adoption in Virginia or in other states. Catholic Charities offers a high level of case management and support to families in this program throughout the matching, placement and adoption process. If you would like to receive more information about this program, please complete an inquiry from:
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Become a Court Appointed Special Advocate
CASA volunteers are members of the community who receive extensive education and training in order to advocate for abused and neglected children – who through no fault of their own – are thrust into juvenile and domestic relations court and often, into foster care.
CASA volunteers advocate for these children to make sure they don’t get lost in an overburdened system. Their ultimate responsibility is to promote safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. It is slow, painstaking, and incredibly challenging work, but one child at a time, CASA Volunteers are making a difference in our community.
Learn more about becoming a CASA
Mentor a Youth with Project Belong
Every year, approximately 21,000 young men and women age out of foster care in our country. Outcomes for young adults who age out of foster care are grim, with a high percentage experiencing increasing poverty, early pregnancy, incarceration, forced prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse and joblessness.
Become a Mentoring Adult or Family for a young adult who’s aged out of foster care.
Relationships, even lifelong ones don’t depend on titles, they depend on connection, consistency, and care. We invite you to “step into the story” of an amazing young adult by becoming a Mentoring Adult or Mentoring Family.
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Urgently Needed
Project Belong VA helps churches become places where caring for vulnerable children is part of the church culture.
Become a Care Coordinator at your parish. There is an urgent need for Catholic parishes to partner with Project Belong to bring communities of care to foster and adoptive families.
Through the support of their regional directors, Project Belong helps parishes start care communities to surround families with love and service.
Foster Care and Adoption Discernment
Praying a novena for discernment can be the first step towards inviting the Lord to open our hearts to hear His will for our families.
Choosing to foster or adopt a child is a deeply personal journey- one that requires you to work closely with child welfare professionals and other members of a team of people working towards the best interests of a the child. Becoming a foster/adoptive parent in Virginia requires families to undergo intensive trainings, self reflections, and what can feel at times like a very intrusive home study process. Once approved, navigating the unknowns of foster care and adoption can be grueling. Knowing how challenging this process can be, it is important for families to be intentional in choosing who they want to partner with to navigate this journey. This blog post, originally published on our Catholic Charities Pregnancy & Adoption Support Blog, shares some important considerations for you to be aware of when looking into different foster/adoption providers.
Common Misconceptions
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Even if a foster child is only with you for a short time, you may be the one person that can make a positive change in that child’s life forever. By building relationships with biological families, you could continue to have contact with a child even after they successfully reunite with their parents.
A foster child's return home is usually the ultimate goal. The foster parent will have the opportunity to participate in the planning and to say goodbye to the foster child. This can be a difficult time, but the child's return home represents a success.
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If you are applying for adoption through a Licensed Child Placing Agency you can be approved to adopt without becoming a foster parent first. However, in Virginia, over 60% of our foster care youth are adopted by their foster parent.
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Most foster parents work outside of the home. Discuss child care options available with your local department of social services.
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
How is God Calling You to Love?
Springs of Love is a national Catholic ministry working in partnership with local Catholic communities to build a base of support for foster and adoptive families. Our focus is to:
• Identify foster and adoptive families who may need support
• Help families discern the call to foster or adopt
• Encourage parishioners to accompany foster families through prayer, practical help, and small groups
Springs of Love Chapters
Springs of Love Chapters is a ministry that surrounds foster families with wrap-around care, from providing meals and material needs, to setting up childcare events and, of course, prayer. Whether you have needs that we can fill or feel called to help others, we want to hear from you.
There is currently an effort to start up a Springs of Love Chapter in the Diocese of Arlington. If you are a current foster/adoptive family, if you are interested in learning more about being a foster/adoptive family or if you want to be part of the effort to wrap these families in support, please contact the Springs of Love Coordinators in our Diocese:
Ways to Support Foster and Adoptive Families
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Urgently Needed
Project Belong VA helps churches become places where caring for vulnerable children is part of the church culture.
Become a Care Coordinator at your parish. There is an urgent need for Catholic parishes to partner with Project Belong to bring communities of care to foster and adoptive families.
Through the support of their regional directors, Project Belong helps parishes start care communities to surround families with love and service.
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Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Social Media for Prayer intentions related to the work we are doing in the Diocese and please share with others.
40 Days of Prayer for Foster Families Get the Novena
Request adding these intercessions be added to your parish Mass intentions: during the month of May for National Foster Care Month:
For families as they discern their call to become foster or adoptive families, that they may prayerfully consider opening their hearts, homes and families to children in need, we pray to the Lord.
For families who have welcomed children into their homes through foster care or adoption, that God might give them wisdom as they help their children navigate the unique challenges they may face, we pray to the Lord.
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National Council for Adoption
The National Council For Adoption is the leading expert on adoption issues, providing resources and education for all people and organizations in the adoption world, and advocating for sound policies so that every child can thrive in a nurturing, permanent family.
Formed Families Forward
Moving foster, adoptive and kinship families to better outcomes through support and education.
FFF hosts support groups for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Get connected to a group today
C.A.S.E
At the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), we work across every level of the permanence ecosystem to ensure families stay together and thrive.
C.A.S.E offers educational resources, adoption-competent counseling, post-placement coaching, host fun family events, and virtual support groups for foster and adoptive parents.
Real Stories of Hope
Interested in supporting the work we do at Catholic Charities Pregnancy and Adoption Support?
Follow us on our socials, engage with our content, and share with others who may benefit from it. We often share prayer requests on our page for our current families and placements. Join us in this work!