Science supports what we know to be true, which is that children do best in families. This holds true for children and youth in foster care, who do best when they live with someone they know and trust, like family members (kin) or friends.
When kinship foster care is not possible, children and youth should have the opportunity to live with foster families who have the necessary skills and support to nurture their health and well-being. By lifting up and celebrating amazing foster families, we hope that policymakers will gain a greater understanding about the vital role that foster families play in providing stable, loving care to children and in nurturing reunification and other paths to permanency.
CHAMPS is grateful to the Scott and Harvey families for all they do for children and for sharing their stories which teach and inspire us:
- Short-Term, Long-Term, or Even Permanent Placement: This Foster Parent Duo Wants What’s Best for Children (story here)
- Full House, Full Heart: Valencia Harvey Models Strength and Grace to D.C. Teen-age Girls (story here)
Policymakers can see the CHAMPS policy playbook as well as the campaign’s new federal policy recommendations for actionable steps to supporting families and creating better outcomes for children and youth in foster care.