Treatment Family Foster Care
What is Treatment Family Foster Care & how does it differ from the Family Foster, Special Medical & Kinship programs?
Treatment Family Foster Care is out of home placement required for children who are deemed abused/neglected or abandoned and have been removed from their biological parents or other persons legally responsible for the child and require protective placement. In addition, Treatment Family Foster Care is a specialized program that provides care for children with special needs or significant emotional and behavioral issues. These children usually have mental health, behavioral or autism spectrum related issues and are being referred for specialized services through the Treatment Family Foster Care program.
All children in foster care have experienced trauma, however children in Treatment Family Foster Care have typically experienced a higher level of trauma and part of the role of the foster parent is to help the child heal. Children in Treatment Family Foster Care can range in ages from 4 to 21 years old. Oftentimes, there are also large sibling groups of children with special needs, or a combination of special needs and typical needs requiring a home or homes where they can continue to live with their siblings or maintain sibling connections.
Who is it for & why is it needed?
Treatment Family Foster Care is needed for children who typically require more support and attention due to their qualifying diagnoses and individualized special needs.
Who typically makes a good foster parent for a child in Treatment Family Foster Care?
Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) seeks caretakers who exhibit patience and commitment to supporting the children and families we work with. TFFC foster parents will need to dedicate time and energy to supporting these loving children on a daily basis. TFFC foster parents are willing to open their hearts and homes to these children, offering them a loving and safe environment after experiencing the trauma of removal from their home.
TFFC foster parents use the resources and support provided to them to support the child in healing, and to support the family in reunifying when possible, and maintaining open communication about concerns so crises can be addressed and be avoided preemptively. While the agency provides direct supports and links the foster parent and child with community supports, nothing can take the place of a loving home provided by our dedicated foster parents.
How does Treatment Family Foster Care fit into the CGS & the NYC ecosystem of care?
Children who require Treatment Family Foster Care are children who have experienced trauma and require a higher degree of support, but are also simply children who just need love and support from a foster parent until they can be safely returned to their parent’s care. CGS works to support these children and their biological families so that they can eventually reunite with one another. As an agency that strives to provide help, create hope and preserve dignity, CGS provides Treatment Family Foster Care as a component of our services on behalf of the children and families we serve.
How many children are currently in CGS Treatment Family Foster Care?
Currently there are about 85 active children in Treatment Family Foster Care.
Can a child in Treatment Family Foster Care be adopted?
As with any other child coming into the foster care system, children in Treatment Family Foster Care may become available for adoption if their biological parents or persons legally responsible for the child are unable or unwilling to provide permanency for the child in care. Under those circumstances, a permanency plan is developed in collaboration with the foster care agency and Family Court System to determine the most appropriate legal permanency option for the child. In some instances, adoption by the foster parent is determined to be the most appropriate plan for the child.
What kind of training and support do foster parents receive for a child in Treatment Family Foster Care?
Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) foster parents are provided an initial 30 hour pre-certification training called Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting Group Preparation and Selection Process (MAPP GPS) which provides new foster parents with training on the trauma children face when removed from their families and managing and supporting children placed in the foster care system. TFFC foster parents are also required to complete an additional 27 hours of therapeutic training which specializes in trauma-informed information that assists foster parent caregivers in learning how to support children who have experienced complex trauma.
TFFC cases are all assigned to a team consisting of a social work supervisor, social worker and socio-therapist. The social workers are required to be in the foster home a minimum of once a month and the socio-therapists are meeting with the children and foster parents once a week to help support the foster parent in managing any behaviors the child may be having. Socio-therapists work with children and foster parents surrounding behavior modification and goals surrounding improved stability. Social workers work to make appropriate referrals to other outside providers who may assist in servicing the children in care, such as our outpatient mental health clinic and our care management program. The staff is there to assist foster parents in advocating for the children’s best interest and maintaining open lines of communication with treatment providers, school programs, family resources and legal teams.
Where do the children in need of Treatment Family Foster Care come from ?
Children in need of Treatment Foster Care are referred to Catholic Guardian Services by the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Visit the ACS website here
