ICA Blog & Updates
Foster Care By the Numbers
International Christian Adoptions The statistics are sobering, and they paint a picture of how urgent the need is to find stable, loving homes for children and youth in the foster care system. None of these things have to happen. You can be part of the solution There are currently more than 424,000 children in the foster care system in the United States. The average age of a foster child is 8 years old. More than 30,000 teens age out of foster care every year and most have nowhere to go. No family support. No home. After foster youth reach the age of 18: 20% instantly become homeless 70% will rely on government assistance Half will have no earnings and lack the skills and resources to find employment Some will be trafficked 7 out of 10 girls will be pregnant by the age of 21 Foster care exits by percentage: 54% are reunified with their biological families 26% are adopted 11% are transitioned to a legal guardianship 8% are emancipated 1% run away, die or other result
What To Expect When You’re Expecting (a Foster Child)
International Christian Adoptions Once you’ve decided to take the step of welcoming a foster youth into your home, you’ll naturally have a lot of questions. Here are a few of the most common—and our best answers to help you prepare. Expect to Care for a Traumatized Child Children are removed from their homes for a variety of reasons, including neglect, substance abuse by their parents, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Because the children/youth have a background of trauma, expect to be challenged to parent outside of and beyond the traditional ways that you have grown accustomed to. In other words, foster families must parent through a “trauma lens”—and a large part of each family’s pre-approval training with ICA is about how to do this. Expect To Become a Part of a Complicated System Foster families are not just opening up their home to children in need, they are becoming part of a large system that involves working with social workers, the courts, attorneys, and birth parents (not to mention teachers, doctors, therapists, etc.). Families must be mentally ready to function as an integral part of this system and take on the role of “professional parents.” Also, with being part of [...]
8 Reasons How Foster Care Could Change Your Life
International Christian Adoptions Let us say upfront that foster care is not about you. It’s the furthest thing from a self-help program or an easy ride, and it’s not something to be entered into lightly. But for those who are aware of the challenges and prepared for the work, foster care can be a profoundly rewarding experience—even in the midst of the demands and pressures that are common to parenting of any kind. You will be challenged to love in new and creative ways. “Encouraging a child means that one or more of the following critical life messages are coming through, either by word or by action: I believe in you, I trust you, I know you can handle this, You are listened to, You are cared for, You are very important to me.” - Barbara Coloroso A foster child brings new quirks, demands, preferences, and conflicts into the house. It’s like adding another dimension to your family. You will never wonder whether your work matters. Caring for children in need is often difficult—especially when they have experienced trauma or neglect, as so many foster youth have—but you need never question the value of your time with a foster child. [...]
9 Things You Didn’t Know About Foster Care
International Christian Adoptions Foster care is a social service that often draws strong reactions and is also surrounded by myths and misconceptions. At ICA, we help foster youth connect with families, so we have a front-row seat to the magic of fostering—and we also have some insights to share. Here are nine things about foster care that you might not know: There are currently more than 424,000 children in the foster care system in the United States. A family doesn’t need to be wealthy to begin fostering. One of the biggest myths, especially among younger people, is that they can’t afford to become foster families. However, foster care is an essentially free program, with very minimal assessment costs. Our families don’t pay ICA any fees, and once the child is in their home, there is a monthly stipend for the child’s care. Medical and dental care is covered at no cost to the family, and ICA provides counseling. Among the 50 states, California continues to have the largest number of children entering foster care each year. True, it is the most populous state in the U.S. There are more than 59,000 children in California’s foster care system, compared with 34,000 [...]
How to Get Started as a Foster Family
International Christian Adoptions Deciding whether to open your home to foster children can be daunting, but if you are considering it—and we definitely think you should!—we can help you make the best decision for your family. Keep in mind the basics of foster care: Children in need require the attention of a nurturing adult who is willing to invest in their life. Stable, loving relationships are how we improve the trajectory of young lives. Part of the process includes wrapping around a birth family and advocating for reunification. It is essential for foster families to have compassion for the birth parents and be willing to work with them to do what is known as Shared Parenting. Learn The process begins by attending a no-cost, no-obligation informational meeting with ICA’s dedicated staff. During this virtual meeting, we will discuss our organization’s culture, programs and process—all of the facts you need to begin an honest evaluation of whether foster care is right for you. Healing and helping youths to reach their full potential is at the heart of what we do—and it only happens when a committed adult gives of their time and energy, sacrifices made out of love for another. Pray [...]
How American Families Can Help Solve the Refugee Crisis
International Christian Adoptions Unless you’ve had your notifications turned off for the last five years, you’ve probably heard something about the crisis at our southern border. Hundreds of thousands of youth who are separated from their families have arrived seeking to live in the U.S., and the government is struggling to keep up. The fact is that the nations are coming to us. This is a unique time, and a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ. If you are willing to investigate, explore and inquire about the role you may play, we can use your help. ICA needs safe, nurturing homes for the youth and children awaiting a place of their own after reaching our country. < Learn more: 5 Words to Explain the Child Refugee Crisis > As Christians, we know what God expects: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong” (Leviticus 19:33). And we may desperately want to help, but many Americans assume there is simply no way to get involved. You Can Help! For the youth we serve, all attempts at reunification have been exhausted. Now they need families who are willing to provide them with both [...]
5 Words to Explain the Child Refugee Crisis
International Christian Adoptions You’ve read the headlines, but have you ever imagined what it’s like to be a child or youth refugee caught up in the border crisis? Aside from the politics and the photo ops, there is the blunt reality of thousands of children showing up on our border—and thousands more in refugee camps awaiting their opportunity for a family and a safe home with education, food, and clean water. These youth desire to be here. They have risked much and they are motivated to assimilate, set goals, start fresh—but they need a safe place to land, a family, in order for this to happen. At ICA, the refugee youth we serve have already exhausted all other possibilities for a home here in the U.S. Foster care is their last resort. Our perspective, as Christians, is that we have no control of the political or socio-economic conditions. We did not seek these young people out or submit them to the adversities of international migration—yet they are here, and that leaves Christians asking: Who is my neighbor? And what is my responsibility now that they are on our doorstep? Trauma The painful truth is that, for the majority of youth [...]
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PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html
PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, The Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME), a national accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to provide Hague Accreditation and Approval, invites the public to provide comment on intercountry adoption service providers seeking Hague Accreditation, Approval or Renewal. You are invited to provide comments through the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/about-adoption-service-providers/hague-complaint-registry.html