I. Purpose
The role of foster parents is critical to improving outcomes for children in foster care. The purpose of this informational letter is to inform social services districts and voluntary agencies of the recommendations that have been developed by a workgroup of stakeholders, which included foster parents, to support the role of foster parents in promoting safety, permanency and well-being for the children entrusted to their care.
These recommendations resulted from the analysis of the findings from the Foster Parent Training and Support Assessment that was recently conducted with foster parents and foster care workers statewide. The recommendations are intended to assist local districts and voluntary agencies in assessing and supporting their partnerships with foster parents. Many districts and voluntary agencies are already aware of these issues and are currently involved in initiatives to improve practice related to supporting the role of foster parents. In an effort to promote best practices, districts and voluntary agencies are asked to share with OCFS the practices that they have implemented that address any of the areas noted in the findings. OCFS is interested in compiling these best practices, and sharing them with all districts and voluntary agencies as a way to support foster parents in the critical role they play in the child welfare system.
|
