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Foster Care & Adoptive Services

Foster Care and Adoption Services

Making a Difference in a Child's Life

The safety of children is of the utmost importance at Sycamores. Children should be in a nurturing environment that allows their curious nature to flourish. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality. According to the Children’s Law Center of California, close to 100 California children are placed in foster care every day. Los Angeles County alone has over 25,000 children, ages 0-18, in the foster care system. They are temporarily placed in a home, with the primary goal of helping them develop and grow in a safe environment. Children cannot advocate for themselves, so Sycamores works hard to ensure they have a safe place to call home.

How We Make Safe Homes Possible

Since 1997, Sycamores has been finding nurturing and stable homes for foster children throughout Los Angeles County. This critical work is made possible because of partnerships with dedicated foster families. Sycamores recruits, trains, and supports families throughout the Resource Family Approval process. We continue to be there to provide support for our foster families once a child has been placed in their home. Children can have brief or extended stays with foster families, and some even go on to be adopted by them.

Sycamores supports families in becoming foster parents, provides Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC), and assists families with adoption.

Becoming a Foster Parent
At Sycamores, a foster family or parent is integral to our comprehensive team approach to working with the children in our care. Foster parents can be married, partnered, or single. They can own or rent their home. They can have lots of experience with children or none at all. A resource parent is a trained and approved person who can provide foster and adoptive care to children and teenagers. Successful resource parents come in many forms, from young working professionals to retirees to stay-at-home parents. Steps required to get started as a resource parent include:
  1. Attend an orientation at Sycamores to get an overview of our agency and the program.
  2. Complete an application and sign up for the required free training (40 hours of training before certification, 15 hours yearly post-certification).
  3. Participate in a background check, reference check, doctor’s release and drug testing, and take CPR and first aid classes.
  1. Work with a Sycamores social worker to prepare your home to meet safety requirements.
  2. Participate in interviews to assess your strengths, talents, and needs in preparing to care for a child.

Following completion of these requirements, child foster placement can take place.

Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC)

Sycamores also provides Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) as part of our Foster Care Program. ISFC is a program that provides mental health services to children in the foster care system who have critical emotional and behavioral needs. When the child is placed in a Sycamores foster home, they are immediately welcomed by a loving team that includes the foster family, a social worker, a therapist, and a behavior coach. This impactful team works together to provide the child with the care, support, and stability they need.

Adoption

If foster families and their foster child decide that adoption is the next step, Sycamores is licensed and able to help guide families interested in the process.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent, please email SycamoresFFA@sycamores.org

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