Families Connected Resources

Community support opportunity with Second Nurture South Bay

Imagine if members of our community joined together, encouraged one another to foster and adopt, and created a network of support for these families. We would see more children with families of their own, richer family life, more engaged communities—and a better society. This is the work of Second Nurture, a national organization established in 2017 to create support networks for foster and adoptive parents. South Bay Families Connected is partnering in this effort in a variety of ways, including increasing awareness of this important effort, and consolidating resources for easy access on this page. To learn more and get involved as a volunteer, or if you are currently fostering and would like to get support and join a cohort, please contact liz@2nurture.org.

 

 Related resources for parents and guardians

 

Access resources created for teens

Curated Gallery of Resources

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Tools for foster families

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services is here to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children living in foster care, as well as to support foster parents, relative caregivers and Resource Families through the DCFS process, and to provide access to the tools needed to care for vulnerable children.

California Alliance of Caregivers (CAC) represents the voices of relative and non-relative caregivers (foster & kinship parents) to promote the well-being of children in foster care. Check out their list of information and resources for children and families in Los Angeles County.

Echo provides trauma & resilience training for families, communities, professionals and organizations. They draw on the latest scientific research on trauma as well as emotional regulation techniques and nonviolent communication to empower survivors and educate those who support them.

Parenting any child can be both rewarding and difficult. There are unique challenges that foster parents face when caring for children and youth. The resources on this page offer support and guidance to foster parents, as well as a list of national organizations through which foster parents can find additional information and supports as they navigate the process.

AdoptUSKids educates families about foster care and adoption and gives child welfare professionals information and support to help them improve their services.

 

Legal support for children in foster care

Advokids provides the only free telephone hotline offering legal information to anyone concerned about a child in foster care in California. Hotline: 877.ADV4KID (877.238.4543) or advocate@advokids.org
Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 4:30pm

CASA of Los Angeles organizes the community to take action and advocate for children and families in LA County’s overburdened child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

The mission of the Violence Intervention Program is to protect and treat all victims of family violence and sexual assault, and for 30 years, has been executing and expanding that vision.

 

Support for older youth in foster care

Kidsave’s innovative programs give older kids in foster care a voice and a choice in who they get to know and who will ultimately become their forever family. And with an estimated 8 million children living in institutional care worldwide and more than 440,000 children in foster care here in the U.S., the need has never been greater.

Our vision is that all foster youth will be equal partners in contributing to all policies and decisions made in their lives. All youth in foster care will have their needs met and the support to grow into healthy and vibrant adults. The mission of California Youth Connection (CYC), a youth-led organization, is to develop leaders who empower each other and their communities to transform the foster care system through legislative, policy, and practice change.

Peace4Kids is a trusted intermediary and ally for youth who frequently do not receive equitable support. As a society, in conjunction with mitigating the difficulties of their circumstances, we must collectively honor their journey by lifting up their narratives of resilience, learning from their insights, and supporting them as they lead us into the future. 

The RightWay Foundation helps Transition-Age Foster Youth get and keep good jobs despite the overwhelming trauma they have endured throughout their lives.

Scholars join Ready to Succeed during their sophomore, junior or senior year and remain in the program throughout their first year of full time employment. Each scholar receives personalized career and personal development coaching, access to an extensive professional network, paid internship experiences, and annual scholarship funding to cover basic needs.

Optimist Youth Homes & Family Services provides out-of-home care through several types of residential treatment and foster family placement as well as community-based treatment programs that vary in intensity according to the needs of the child and family.

The She Ready Foundation provides suitcases to children in foster care, establish work ethics within foster children to accomplish short and long-term goals and provides resources for foster children and adults that age out.

 

Housing support for foster youth

Jovenes helps youth, ages 18-25, end their cycle of homelessness. We are located in Boyle Heights and serve communities throughout Southeast LA County.

Home4LAYouth’s mission is to prevent youth homelessness by providing first ever homes for youths who “age out” of foster care and students facing a housing crisis.

 

Featured foster parenting national articles

verwellmind.com