“It takes a village to raise a child” is an African Proverb that is used to recognize the group effort it often takes to nurture a child to adulthood. The village can be comprised of family, friends, professional supports and more, depending on the circumstances.
As New Jersey continues to transform its child welfare system, we too, have created and depend on a ‘village’ of supportive people and groups to help us strengthen and empower families. Our caseworkers, the courts, the Law Guardians and Court Appointed Special Advocates, are all contributors in this intricate web of care for children and families. Also integral are our Resource homes, also known as foster homes.
In New Jersey, the term Foster Parent has been replaced with Resource Parent. This term more accurately reflects the Resource Parent’s supportive role to the children, the children’s family, and the professional team. The Resource Parent serves a critical role in supporting reunification efforts (the primary goal for most children entering out-of-home care).
We need passionate, committed individuals/families like YOU who can offer loving guidance and support to children while their birth family mends.
We are actively recruiting Resource Parents who are:
- Racially/culturally sensitive, and open to accepting children from diverse backgrounds
- Open to caring for children who have experienced trauma, and often have increased behavioral/mental health/medical needs
- Open to caring for sibling groups, and maintaining connections with siblings who cannot be placed together
- Willing to care for older youth (13-17) who need caring adults who will help them learn life skills, and successfully transition into adulthood.
- Open and affirming to LGBTQIA+ children and youth
- Willing to partner with DCP&P, courts, the treatment team, community partners, and ideally the child’s family, to support reunification
*CP&P will not preclude a person from being a foster parent based solely on their culture, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, affectional orientation, or marital/civil union or domestic partnership status.
APPLY NOW USING THE LINK BELOW:
https://family.binti.com/users/signup/new-jersey-community-resource-family-application-community
If you experience any issues with completing this inquiry please call 1-800-222-0047.
Please note: If you are a relative or family friend looking to provide kinship care to a child who is in state care, please do not use the link above. Instead, please call 1-609-888-7055 for information on the kinship application process.
