FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2020
Fostering local children is an ongoing and urgent need. As of January 1, 2020, there were 218 children in foster care in Albemarle County, Charlottesville, and Greene County.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF) is currently recruiting new foster parents in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and Green County to add to their pool of compassionate caretakers who are committed to supporting vulnerable children.
CAFF has provided foster care services since 1976. Training is the foundation to providing high quality services to children and families. With an extensive knowledge of trauma-supportive practices, CAFF engages prospective foster parents in 27 hours of training. This summer, CAFF shifted their training curriculum virtually and topics include cultural humility, understanding the foster care system, attachment, and effective discipline.
CAFF aspires to cultivate a diverse pool of foster families that support the racial and ethnic identities of the children they serve. Those that are open to fostering teens and keep sibling groups together are a priority. “One of the children in my Head Start classroom was going to be placed into the foster care system and be separated from all of her siblings. I could not, not do something,” kinship foster parent, Tracy Holliday said.
“Becoming a foster parent is an incredible way to give back to our local community,” Nicole Hawker, CAFF Recruitment Specialist says. “You have the opportunity to empower children and youth as well as their biological families towards hope, healing and family restoration.”
Children thrive in local, family-like environments that allows the child to access support in a community that is familiar to them and promotes successful outcomes. Ideal foster parents have the ability to provide stability and possess an openness to support the needs of children.
“We saw fostering as a way to provide a safe, loving home to children in need for as long as they needed,” current foster parent, Christina Parker said. “Over time our reasons to continue fostering now include not only loving on and caring for the children but also showing love and support to the families of the children that are in our home.”
“Through CAFF we are able to step into some difficult situations, knowing they will stand beside us and support us along the way. We have felt blessed to have a listening ear and an understanding voice on the other side when working through the ins and outs of foster care,” Parker added.
If you or someone you know is interested in exploring foster parenting or want to learn more, connect with Nicole Hawker through email at be CAFFinquiries@charlottesville.gov
Prospective foster parents are also welcomed to contact Nicole to attend an initial information session. The next informational session is scheduled for September 21, 2020.
Media Contact
Nicole Hawker
CAFF Recruitment Specialist
City of Charlottesville
caffinquires@charlottesville.gov