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 provides a nurturing, supportive environment. City Ministries has three programs within this mission.
Full-Time Foster Parent(s) are licensed foster parent(s) that provide for and love children in their home as if they were their children. They support and provide for the day-to-day needs of the child or children in their home. The children stay in their home full-time until permanency is established for the child(ren). This may mean that the child(ren) return home to their birth parents, a family member, or are adopted by either their full-time foster family or another appointed family. Some full-time foster families are not called to adopt and support the transition of permanency for the child(ren) in their home. Once permanency is established, many full-time families stay in the lives of the children even once they have moved on from their home. Due to the emotional investment of full-time foster parents, a break in between placements is often needed. Our full-time families work closely with City Ministries during placement, transitions of children out of their homes and the time in between placements. It is our goal that each foster parent feels supported while caring for children full-time in their homes.
When children are in their full-time foster homes, it is important for the foster families to receive respite. This is a time for the family to focus on their needs, take a weekend off, or meet the needs of their biological children in their home. City Ministries also licenses respite care providers that provide stable homes during these times. While the actual licensing process of becoming a full-time foster parent and respite care provider does not differ, the amount of time the children are in the home is different. Respite providers often care for children on the weekends or during special respite care requests to help support and retain full time foster parents. They are often viewed as aunts, uncles, and grandparents to the foster children.
While the goal of Washington State Foster Care and City Ministries is reunification, meaning the children return home to their birth families after they receive the support and resources they need, there are times where families can Foster-to-Adopt. Our foster-to-adopt program is when a child in state foster is “legally free” for adoption. This is when a child’s birth parents rights have been terminated by the state and the child is able to be adopted by an approved foster/adoptive family.
Regardless of the program that is best for each of our families, we believe in the community that rallies around all the children in our homes and know all parties make a direct and positive impact on the children we love and care for.
If you have questions about any of our programs, please reach out through [email protected].
