By Ashley Argese, Assistant Vice President of Communications at Cayuga Centers
As a foster parent, support is one of the most critical things needed for success. As you support children and young adults through difficult moments, it is imperative not to forget that you need support too.
While self-care is essential, it’s equally important to leverage the support provided by your foster care treatment team. At Cayuga Centers, our extensive support team is readily available to you from the time of certification to when a youth exits your home.
Foster parents have many resources to ensure they have everything they need to provide a safe and loving home. Our team approach is central to our commitment to providing high-quality services to children and families.
Foster parent training
Cayuga Centers provides Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC), a science-backed, trauma-informed approach to foster care. We provide a unique framework for parenting support for children with complex histories. This framework rebuilds family relationships and helps youth heal. Our program serves children who need high levels of support after experiencing trauma.
Foster parents receive initial and ongoing training. This includes both online foster parent training as well as in-person learning. We provide training on trauma-informed care, parenting skills, building positive relationships, CPR, First Aid, and more. Attending workshops and webinars throughout the year will help you complete your annual foster parent training hours.
Team support for foster parents
We carefully match you with youth whom you can support best and we develop a treatment plan specific to their needs. We provide wraparound services to foster parents to ensure a secure placement until they achieve permanency.
Foster Parents are part of a treatment team equipped with a Behavioral Case Planner, Clinician, and Youth Skills Coach. This team assists with not only logistical support, but emotional support for foster parents.
Recruiting and Licensing Team
Your recruiter/licensor is often the first person you meet in your fostering journey. They answer important questions about the certification process and address any concerns you have. They guide you through your foster parent training, help you complete your home study, and handle documentation. Recruiters/licensors provide a valuable resource to you as you work towards your licensure.
This team plays a pivotal role in matching youth in foster care with homes that suit their needs. Cayuga Centers priortizes this process.
Program Leadership
Program leadership serves as a knowledgeable and supportive resource throughout your foster care journey. They are well educated about all areas of the foster care program and can address any concerns you have.
Leadership provides support to both licensing and treatment teams. They manage relationships with foster parents, ensure foster youth follow their treatment plan, and support relationships with biological parents and staff.
Leadership plays a vital role in ensuring that everyone involved feels supported.
Youth Skills Coach / Skills Trainer
Youth Skills Coaches, also called ‘skills trainers’, are part of the treatment team and meet with youth once a week or as needed. They teach age-appropriate life skills training such as cooking, budgeting, navigating friendships, conflict resolution, studying, and time management.
In addition, they help youth set age-appropriate goals and provide life-skills training and coaching to help stabilize their home, school and community environments.
Lastly, Youth Skills Coaches facilitate biological or permanency resource visitation and family time.
Clinician
Clinicians within the treatment team work closely with families. They conduct assessments, provide therapeutic interventions, and support youth in making positive changes. Clinicians also create treatment plans and provide individual and family therapy.
Through mental health counseling, they help young people adjust to their new home and manage their emotions. Additionally, they prepare them for leaving and reuniting with family.
If the youth is transitioning out of foster care, clinicians also prepare teens for independent living.
Behavioral Case Planner
Behavioral Case Planners serve as the liaison to other support agencies and are the primary contact for caseworkers. They are also responsible for advancing a youth’s permanency plan.
Behavioral Case Planners work with youth and their foster families to build strong relationships. They check in with foster parents daily.
Fellow Foster Parents
Your fellow foster parents provide an essential level of peer support to help you navigate your role as a foster parent. They also serve as extended family who can often help with care needs or partner with you to provide respite foster care.
Monthly foster parent support groups provide real-world guidance from other foster parents and fosters empathy. Also consider subscribing to blogs like this one for monthly articles delivered straight to your inbox!
Financial Support for Foster Parents
Treatment team and peer support are critical for success, but we understand that financial support is also important. Cayuga Centers provides competitive monthly stipends to support youth in foster care.
We encourage you to explore government or state assistance for foster parents – especially for kinship foster parents.
Many non-profits offer free or discounted clothing, toys, toiletries, car seats, school supplies, college tuition vouchers, and more.
Support a youth, and we will support you
As a foster parent, you are not alone. Every part of the team plays an important role to support you and the youth in your care. Are you ready to make a difference in your community?
