services

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Adoptions

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 Foster Family Agency

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Resource Family approval (RFA) Training

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Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP)

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Support to At-Risk Foster Youth

Programs & Services

DIUP Adoption Agency

Our goal is to reunite children with their birth families, which happens about 50% of the time. However, there are many children who cannot return to their birth families, and adoption may become the most desirable goal.

In these cases, it is usually the foster families that are considered for adoption. Adopting through foster care allows families the opportunity to get to know the child prior to making a decision to adopt. Thirty-seven percent of all adoptions nationwide are from foster homes.

"There are no unwanted children, just unfound families."

- The National Adoption Center

Resource Family Approval (RFA)

Dangerfield Institute of Urban Problems' Resource Family Approval (RFA) was formed out of the need for qualified foster parents to provide safe, caring, and nurturing environments to children waiting for placement in our community. Social Workers, LCSW's, Professional Trainers, and Administrative Staff work together to ensure all children attain the highest level of social and emotional competency, to enhance their ability to handle present and future challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities. We receive referrals from licensed welfare agencies and juvenile courts. A comprehensive team provides a support system for the resource parents, birth parents, and child through parent education, advocacy, therapy, and counseling. Each child receives culturally sensitive provisional services aimed at empowering their status. Foster parents who have completed the requirements and training become resource families and have the ongoing support of DIUP.

Respite

Respite care provides nurturing adults the opportunity to care for children without the daily commitment foster parenting requires. Respite Care Providers serve foster children who are in need of care for short periods of time when foster families occasionally require alternate care for the foster children in their homes. Respite care provides an excellent opportunity to build lasting relationships with children and other care providers, and gain knowledge and experience of the foster care world while providing a direct service to the children in our community.

Dangerfield Group Home

Dangerfield Institute of Urban Problems provides a residential program for the abused children ages 13 to Non-Minor Dependence, which is dedicated to their complete rehabilitation through Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program.

Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP)

DIUP provides a Continuum of Care services through the STRTP program. Each foster youth is provided with a trauma and culturally informed treatment plan designed to provide the best possible out of home care. We are committed and dedicated to the youth receiving the most appropriate and culturally relevant mental health services which supports and strengthens best practice, and which will maximize the best outcome through individualized case management.

Our core services involve transition and permanency. We want our youth to develop positive, healthy relationships with their communities. All factors are taken into consideration, and we empower our youth to seek family reunification whenever safe and possible.

Transitional Housing Program

Each year in California, over 4,000 youth exit the foster care system when they turn 18, and are no longer eligible for foster care. These "emancipated foster youth" commonly leave the foster care system without a place to live, a job, a high school diploma, or the consistent support of a caring adult. Without assistance during this difficult transition, former foster youth do not fare well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is required to become a foster parent?

Please see our Join Us page.

I have a criminal record. Can I still be a foster parent?

The reasons and situation will need to be discussed. Please contact us for more information.

Can I work and be a foster parent?

Yes. While you are at work, children in foster care need to be in approved child care or school. You will learn more details when you speak with our representative.

What if I’m not ready to be a full-time foster parent?

If you’re not ready to commit to being a full-time foster parent, you can consider becoming a “respite care” provider, which means offering short-term care for the child when foster parents need some time away.

Can I keep my firearms?

Yes, however they must be locked up with ammunition stored separately in accordance with community care licensing standards.

What happens if they turn 18 while in my care?

New legislation allows children to stay in foster care after the age of 18 if they meet certain criteria.

Is there financial compensation?

Yes, we provide a generous care reimbursement for each child placed in your home that is determined by the State of California.

Do you have to be married to be a foster parent?

No, and many of our successful parents are single. You do need to be 21 years of age to qualify.

Do the foster children have behavioral issues?

Foster children may suffer from a variety of abandonment, neglect, and abuse issues which can contribute to emotional and behavioral problems. However there are support systems in place to help both the children and their foster parents while in their care. A social worker from Children First is assigned to each child and family. They will be very supportive in this process.

How often do foster children go back to their biological families?

About 50% of the time.

I am interested in adoption. Will I be able to adopt the foster child in my home?

The focus of foster parenting is reunification with the biological parents. However, when that process fails, children may become available for adoption and are often adopted by their foster parents. 37% of foster children are adopted by foster parents.

Can a foster child share a bedroom with my child?

We review requests on a case by case basis, but typically it depends on the age and gender of both children.

Can I request an infant, a certain age group, or gender of a child?

Yes, we do our best to make the most appropriate placements. There may be times that we will call you for interest if there is a child outside of your requested age/gender and Children First thinks that your home would be an appropriate placement.

How many children can be placed in my home?

While the maximum is six, the actual number depends on several factors, including the number of bedrooms and space available in those bedrooms.

How long do the children stay with foster parents, generally?

It can vary from a week to several months, or maybe even longer.