Mission/Philosophy
COMMUNITY ACCESS NETWORK is a grass-root community organization which believes that when provided with adequate support and the needed resources, families can identify and build on their strengths and be empowered to resolve their problems. Once empowered, families will be able to move toward the realization of their optimal level of social, emotional, physical, and educational development. When it is necessary for a child to be removed from their biological home, COMMUNITY ACCESS NETWORK FFA strives to provide a safe, warm and inclusive family environment. Every placed child will have access to all needed resources in order to deal effectively with their various bio-psychosocial stressors.
Goals
- Ensure that each child placed with the agency is safe, protected, and treated with dignity.
- Recruit, train, certify and support qualified resource parents.
- Work diligently to reunify children with their biological families.
- Respect the child’s ethnic, cultural and spiritual background or needs.
- Identify and allocate community resources to maximize benefits for the placed child.
What is Foster Care?
Foster care is designed to provide temporary placement for children who can no longer remain at their homes due to abuse, neglect or other factors that may compromise the safety and well-being of children.
When parents are no longer able to adequately protect and care for their children, the children are removed from their homes and placed in foster homes that are capable of meeting their emotional, physical, educational and spiritual needs in a safe and nurturing environment.
Who are Foster Children?
Foster children are those who were removed from their own homes due to parental abuse or neglect. Foster children are normal children capable of achieving at a high level. All they need is love and genuine care from a family that is willing to help them thrive. These children range from ages 0-17 years old, and come from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
At Community Access Network FFA we believe that every child deserves the chance to belong to a family and have their needs met in a nurturing and safe environment.
Requirements to be a Resource Parent (Foster Parent):
- Have the ability to nurture, love and open their heart to a child.
- Maintain a safe and adequate living environment for children.
- Pass a criminal background check.
- Attend orientation and pre-certification training and complete an application package.
- Complete a health screening and T.B. test.
- Become CPR and First Aid certified.
The agency will assist prospective resource parents in meeting all the requirements.
The Five Competencies of a Resource Parent:
- Protecting and nurturing children.
- Meeting children’s developmental needs and addressing developmental delays.
- Supporting relationships between children and their families.
- Connecting children to safe nurturing relationships intended to last a lifetime.
- Working as a member of a professional team.
Why should you become a resource parent with Community Access Network (CAN)?
Community Access Network is fully devoted to recruiting and certifying dedicated resource parents to care for our children. The agency is committed to providing the following services and support to resource parents:
- High financial compensation
- Special incentives for resource parents who provide care to teenagers and sibling groups
- Free initial and on-going training
- Twenty-four hour support
- Advocacy on behalf of the parent and child
- Consultation prior to placement to ensure the best match
- Outings and special events for the foster parents and children
- Assistance in identifying qualified respite care providers
- Information regarding community services to assist with the children’s needs (i.e. boys & girls clubs, tutoring, sports, therapeutic services.)
- Assistance in coordinating visitation between the children and their biological family.
Foster Care: Facts & Myths
Myth: A person must own a house to qualify to be a resource parent.
Fact: Resource parents are not required to own a home.
Myth: A resource parent must be married.
Fact: A single person qualifies.
Myth: The agency will select the type of child placed in the home.
Fact: Resource parents will choose the age, sex, ethnic background and type of behavioral issues they can work with.
Myth: A resource parent is responsible for the healthcare expenses of children placed in their home.
Fact: All foster children come to placement with healthcare coverage.
Myth: Resource parents are expected to keep children in their homes regardless of their behavior.
Fact: Resource parents may request removal of the child from their homes when unable to deal with their behavioral issues. However, removal of a child from a resource home is discouraged in order to maintain consistency of care.