YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region’s Post

🖇STRATEGIC SATURDAYS🖇 This month I was honored to support the team of Royal Family Kids Anchorage by speaking at their annual fundraising and informational event, Night to Remember. This ministry serves children in foster care with some of the deepest trauma by providing a week in the outdoors surrounded by vetted, highly trained adults to help them have a normal childhood experience. We discussed 20 ways to support the foster care community (and only one of them involved being a foster parent). Why is this being posted under this “Strategic Saturday” series? Because caring shouldn’t be something we do “strategically”. Caring is a lifestyle. Caring is who we strive to be. Caring cannot be falsified (although some will try and some organizations do a good attempt at it). You know what caring looks like deep down. My encouragement today is to always advocate for the care of the least of these in strategic means. Use your abilities to advance those who have no voice. It’s the most fulfilling thing you’ll ever do. Keep Leading Forward, D. #fostercare #leadership #childwelfare #childadvocacy

Learn more about CASA. 🔷 Q: What is the difference CASA makes for children? 🔷 A: Children with a CASA volunteer are more likely to find a safe, permanent, nurturing home. When a CASA has been assigned, a child is far less likely to re-enter the foster care system after successful reunification with their parent. And children who receive advocacy while in the system are twice as likely to graduate from high school. National CASA reports that children with a CASA volunteer are more likely to receive therapy, health care and education, more likely to do better in school, less likely to be bounced from one place to another, and half as likely to re-enter the foster care system. Most importantly, children themselves report that they know and can rely on their CASA volunteer. 🔷 #CASAforChildren #ChangeAChildsStory #VoicesForChildren #AdvocateForKids

Imagine fighting to save your child from being taken away forever. 😩⤵️ A family has just endured this nightmare, winning their daughter back after a 7/8 year long fight from a foster system that nearly let her be illegally adopted. Shockingly, the foster parents are now appealing, trying to continue their unlawful adoption attempt for a child who was never supposed to be in the foster system. 📊 Key Statistics: - Black children represent about 23% of the foster care population but are less likely to be reunited with their families. - This data highlights systemic issues that need our immediate attention. 🙏🏿 Please click link in comments to: - Learn more about their struggle 📖 - Contribute to their GoFundMe 💰 - Share their story 🌍 (FREE) Your support can shed light on these injustices and help bring about necessary reforms. #BringFamiliesTogether #SupportFamilies 🔗 For more information and data sources on this issue, please refer to reports from the Children’s Bureau and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Did you know that over 407,000 youth are currently in the foster care system across the United States? Here in Georgia, the need for support is especially critical. These young individuals face unique challenges that require our immediate attention and action. 📊 Key Facts and Statistics: Increased Risk: Youth in foster care are at a higher risk for adverse life outcomes, including educational challenges and mental health issues. They are seven times more likely to suffer from depression and five times more likely to experience anxiety compared to their non-foster peers. · Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Over 50% of foster youth have dealt with four or more ACEs, which can lead to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance abuse later in life. · Educational Challenges: Foster youth are more likely to struggle with absenteeism and have special education needs, making it harder for them to achieve academic success. · Support Systems: Programs that focus on leadership, life skills, and relationship building are crucial. However, these programs need your support to continue making a difference.   🤝 How You Can Help: Volunteer: Your time and skills can make a significant impact on a child's life. Consider becoming a mentor or volunteering at local programs. Donate: Financial contributions are essential to fund the necessary programs and services that support foster youth. Advocate: Use your voice to raise awareness about the needs of foster youth and advocate for policies that provide better support and resources. By getting involved, you can help foster youth in Georgia overcome these challenges and achieve their full potential. Let's create a brighter future for these young individuals together! 🔗Join us in making a difference: www.camphorizon.net #FosterCare #Georgia #YouthSupport #Volunteer #Donate #Advocate #MakeADifference

📊 Did You Know? Nearly 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system each year in the United States alone, facing immediate challenges such as homelessness, unemployment, and lack of education. 🏠💼📚 This startling statistic highlights the urgent need for comprehensive support systems to assist these individuals as they transition into independence. At Unlimited Potential NFP, we're committed to breaking these cycles through targeted programs designed to empower, educate, and uplift. Together, we can change these numbers and transform futures. Join us in making a difference. Learn more about how you can help at unlimitedpotentialnfp.org. 🌟 #FosterCareAwareness #ChangeTheStats #Empowerment #EducationFirst #EndYouthHomelessness #SupportSystems #MakeADifference

In an article originally published in Down To Earth, ActionAid Association's Ghasiram Panda writes on the steps India can take to strengthen community-based foster care for children in need of nurturing. Read more at the following link: https://lnkd.in/dZsw9RQz

Let's listen to the voices at the center of #FosterCare and reflect on valuable lessons learned from the past 3 years of iFoster's Voice of the Foster Care Community Report, turning insights into action for the betterment of our youth. Read the report here: bit.ly/3Qkuf4L #iAmiFoster #CollectiveImpact #ChildFirst #VOC3

☑️ The News: June 19, 2024 - Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) has announced an increase in financial support for families who foster and then adopt children from the foster care system. The Summary: Effective immediately, families fostering children in Indiana will receive a higher stipend, aiming to alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with fostering and adoption. This increase is designed to encourage more families to consider fostering with the intention of adoption, providing a more stable and supportive environment for children in need. The Impact: This policy change is expected to significantly improve the quality of life for foster children by ensuring they have access to necessary resources and support. It also aims to reduce the number of children in the foster care system by making adoption a more feasible option for foster families. With increased financial assistance, families can better provide for the health, education, and general well-being of foster children. Source: https://lnkd.in/gGu-aHq7 #plusoneadoption #familyplanning #adoption #adoptionnews

As a social worker working on the ground I am faced with these challenges daily. Not enough foster placements close to the child's family and support network. Parents who were in care homeless and it's their fault because they did not engage. Yet the reality is that they had such a traumatic start in life they can't engage. Aftercare support needs to be flexible 25 years+ Lots of my social worker friends who left Tusla say they miss it, knowing they were working in the best interest of a child. Social workers need more supports with all the tasks they have to do. It's not a 9-5 job if you work from a relationship model. More admin support is coming on stream but it needs to be more aligned. If we could look at it from the point of view from how can we support social workers to do more direct work. If every social worker had an assistant would these assistants be the social workers of the future resulting in less people leaving and more stability. I have one dad who calls me social worker 20. We should be there long enough that we are not a number. If we are going to work long hours maybe we should be paid overtime like the guards and work on a shit system so the evening work is planned and time off is easier to take.