Not everyone is called to be a full-time foster parent or to adopt. And that’s okay! There are many other ways you can lend your time, care, and resources to supporting foster families and children. Here are some ways that you can help: Meal Preparation: Mealtime can be a bit chaotic when there are kids […]
“I want my mommy!” You’re awakened from a dead sleep. You look at the clock. It’s 2 am and this is the fourth night in a row you’ve gotten a wake-up call at this hour. “I want my mommy.” His cries echo through the monitor and you can feel his anxiety rise. He’s not calming […]
One of the final steps of the foster care application process is the home study. Getting ready for the home study may feel overwhelming and intimidating to any eager family hoping to become licensed to foster. Allowing someone into your home to ask personal questions about your life, background, and current family dynamic and practices […]
It’s on your to-do list. One day you want to help children in foster care. As soon as your life slows down, the kids get a little older, and your schedule opens up, you’ll sign up to be a foster parent. It’s not the right time today. In the future, you’ll have more time to […]
Happy May Day! Please join us in celebrating National Foster Care Awareness Month! City Ministries began our foster care journey in September of 2007 when we broke ground on twenty-two homes in hopes that eventually all of them would be filled with families caring for children in out-of-home placements. In 2008 we began the process […]
The numbers of people attempting suicide, making plans for suicide, and seriously thinking about suicide has been rising the past few years and it is affecting not just adults but children as young as 6 years old. According to the CDC, in 2020 Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 […]
Goodbyes are always difficult, especially with a child that has had a long placement in your home. The transition is almost always a mixture of bittersweet moments of letting go and saying goodbye. Typically, there are three different reasons for a child to transition out of your home. 1. From Foster Home to Forever (Adoptive) […]
Working at a foster care agency, I have had many single people approach me and ask, “Is it a requirement to be married in order to become a foster parent?” And the answer is NO, being married is not a requirement to become licensed as a foster parent. The most important requirement for anyone choosing […]
Forming an attachment with a child entering your home is crucial to their mental health, ability to thrive, and overall well-being. Coming from backgrounds of trauma, unsafe environments, or unsafe relationships often children in care enter a new family and home with their guard up, unsure about the safety of their new environment or the […]
Each year 440,000 kids enter foster care and have been exposed to some form of trauma. “The trauma suffered by these children is not benign. It can result in serious and chronic emotional and behavioral problems that are very difficult to treat. And each year, day after day thousands of teachers, caseworkers, police officers, judges, […]
Happy November everyone! We are all one step closer to the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Along with ushering in the holidays comes ushering in a plethora of holiday traditions. Every household is different, and every home is different, celebrating different holidays and incorporating different traditions. This can be confusing for children in care who have been in multiple homes […]
As we enter the holiday season, especially in this month of November, many people take time to reflect on all the wonderful things they have to be thankful for. With Orphan Sunday approaching in a few short days (November 7th), here at City Ministries CPA we are counting our blessings for the many people who have joined us in our mission to serve vulnerable families and children in our community. -We […]
The mission of City Ministries is to see foster children cared for in safe, loving, stable, faith-filled families focused on permanence and stability for the children through restoration of their birth and/or extended families or placement with an adoptive family. We will do this by providing family and community-based foster care and adoption services utilizing a unique model that […]
The arrival of a foster child in your home can be an exciting and anxious time. Here are a few tips to help in welcoming a child into your home. -If possible, try to have everything ready for the child, from clothing to hygiene products as well as making sure you have your schedule planned out after the […]
As we enter Fall, it is a time where we slow down from the craziness of summer and jump into the craziness of fall. With sports, school, appointments, and the holidays approaching it’s important for all of us to remember to slow down, check in with ourselves, and practice some self-care. Self-care is important when you are in the profession of […]
The first week after receiving a child in your care can be full of different feelings of loss, fear, stress, and trauma for the child. Expect that on the first night there will be little sleep due to a new environment and sleeping arrangements. Having things in place such as a night light and a […]
Many families hear “home inspection” and suddenly feel the need to clean every nook and cranny of their home, have yummy smelling cookies in the oven when the inspector arrives and ready to present the best version of their home; you know, the one that looks like no one lives in it version. While yes, your home should be clean and sanitary, the purpose of the home inspection […]
So, you recently got licensed as foster parents and are excitedly waiting for your first placement? There are a few helpful things you can do to prepare yourself, your family, and your home while you wait! Participate in trainings you want to grow your knowledge and skills in. Some great trainings to start with include effects of trauma on child development, TBRI (Trauma-Based Relational Intervention), caring for children with behavior […]
As a foster parent, accepting a placement into your home can be both an exciting and anxious time. Having information prior to receiving a child in your home is important for a successful placement for both the child in care and foster family. This information can help you assess if a placement will be a good fit for your home. There are times that minimal information […]
Choosing to become a licensed foster parent is a big decision. It is a decision that will change and impact all areas of your life. There are many choices to make when deciding to take this journey. One of these choices is how you will become licensed, either through the state or through a private agency. Once you decide […]
As members of the foster care community, it is our job to protect the children in our care. This includes their stories and their history. It is up to the children in our care to decide to whom and when they are ready to share their stories. Many of us get asked about details of […]
August 17th is National Nonprofit day! As a nonprofit, this year has been a unique one for us. Our mission and heart has always been to meet the needs in our community and even with the challenges that we faced this year, we continued to do just that. In the fall of 2020 City Kids […]
Are you aware of what is currently happening in foster care? In light of May being Foster Care Awareness Month, we would like to share some Washington state and City Ministries CPA statistics. –There are over 400,000 children in foster care in the US and over 8,000 children in foster care in Washington state –There […]
We are living in a unique time and while we are all staying home to stay safe, our team is continuing to work full-time to recruit and license families, provide case management, and support our foster families and children virtually during this time. As the number of children entering the foster care system in Washington […]
Do you have a desire to advocate for foster children in the community, but don’t know where to begin? One way you can start advocating for foster children right now is by bringing their needs to God in prayer! Pray for children -Pray for children coming into the foster care system right now to be […]
When you think of the word “home” what are some thoughts that come to mind? Sitting around the dinner table, laughing, and catching up with your family? Having a comfortable bed to sleep in after a long day? Celebrations shared and fond memories created with loved ones? All of these things come to my mind […]
Christmas is right around the corner and planning is already underway for our Annual Children’s Christmas Party! We are excited to make this celebration a fun and special time for all our children! You can help make Christmas a little brighter for our children this year by donating a gift to be given to them […]
Are you a seasoned foster parent who can use an extra dose of encouragement as you advocate day in and day out for vulnerable children placed in your home? Are you a newly licensed foster parent who would love to get advice and support from other families in the same shoes as you? Whether you […]
May is National Foster Care Awareness month. In the United States there are currently 422,000 children in foster care. Approximately 10,000 of those children reside in Washington state alone. That is 10,000 vulnerable children who go to sleep every night in a home that is not their own, not knowing what their future holds. 10,000 […]
1. ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT Foster families and children receive individualized support and wraparound services for the specific needs of each family and child. 2. CASE MANAGEMENT Case Manager advocates for the needs of foster children and offers guidance and resources to foster parents. Agency team is available to provide support and crisis intervention 24/7. […]
As a foster parent, there is nothing more important than showing your foster child how loved they are every single day. Love can be expressed in many ways, big and small. Listed below are a few suggestions of what you can do to show the foster child in your life how special they are to […]
Continuing on from Part One- Expect not to know everything about a child- If you are the first placement of a child just entering the foster care system, often times the social worker will know very limited information about their trauma, behaviors, triggers, and health needs. Don’t be surprised if you will be the first […]
When a foster child is first placed in your home it’s hard to know what to expect. Every child, situation, and case is different and will bring with it its own unique experiences. Although no fostering experience is the same, there are a few common things that you as a foster parent can expect after […]
City Ministries Child Placement Agency is offering FREE training for current and prospective foster parents, caregivers, and social service workers on topics related to trauma, substance abuse, adverse childhood experiences, resiliency, suicide prevention, and healthy parenting skills. After each training you will be provided with a general training certificate. RSVP’s are required to attend training. […]
Becoming a full-time foster family is both a very fulfilling and a challenging endeavor. The demands of foster parents increase substantially as they welcome foster children affected by trauma into their home and begin providing them with the care, advocacy, and support, that they need in a safe family environment. Their daily demands become significantly […]
Christmas is all about gifts. Every child knows this, even if every adult denies it,because Christmas started out with the greatest gift of all: the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.As we gather together with families in celebration, sing Christmas carols, join in the holiday cheer, and tear into gifts wrapped with love underneath the […]
During the first year or so of our program we had a fundraiser that involved hand painted tiles. The proceeds from these tiles would fund a new playground for the Rose Hill Cottages where our foster parents were living. There were several artists whom painted 5 different tiles to choose from for families who just wanted […]
This week we want to highlight our newest City Ministries CPA staff member: Natasha. She joined our team as a case manager in May and has been working hard providing our foster families and children with incredible case management, advocacy, and support. She has a big heart, a passion for working with families and children, […]
Celebrating Foster Care Agency 10 Year Anniversary! #2 of 10 You know the heart of how we began, started the agency, built the Rose Hill Cottages…..now what was all of that for? To help children and families in crisis so………drum roll please! In May of 2009, with 3 families licensed we accepted our first 3 […]
In honor of Orphan Sunday this week churches and organizations all around the world will be focusing on sharing God’s love for orphans and shedding light on the children across the nations and in our own communities in need of safe and loving homes. From the beginning of time God’s heart for the cause of […]
The Rose Hill Cottages were born out of a vision by late Pastor Wendell Smith, Founding Pastor of City Church (now Churchome) to care for children in need in our community. With the support and help of many church and community members who prayed for this vision to become a reality and contributed to its […]
