{Advocate}
Advocating for Change in the System
There is a lot of misinformation and confusion surrounding children in foster care, the foster parents and relatives who care for them, and the biological parents who are working to reunify with their kids.
Foster Village brings dignity to the children and families we serve, understanding the root causes of why a child ends up in the foster care system, facilitating relationships between foster families and biological families and replicating communities of support around the nation. As part of our effort to build “community beyond the system,” we present honest and accurate information about our vulnerable neighbors, the challenges they face and the need for a supportive community.
"After escaping from an abusive relationship, I needed a lot of help to get back on my feet and start a new path for me and my kids. Foster Village has been such a Godsend in helping us and teaching me how capable I am to be the mom my kids deserve."
Visitation Space
We believe in restoring dignity to those encountering the welfare system, and we believe healing and bonding is facilitated by a space that is comfortable, safe, and designed with kids and caregivers in mind. Our visitation space includes:
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A small kitchen with sink, fridge, cabinets full of snacks and crafts, table & chairs; a place to create
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A living room with toys, games, and puzzles for all ages; a place to connect
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A sensory play studio with opportunities to move, climb, crash, and build; a place to play
We invite anyone involved in child welfare to utilize this space for visitations with biological family members, play dates and/or gatherings for foster parents, birthday/holiday celebrations, or team/transition/shared parenting meetings.
*FVSWFL does not provide supervision
Hearten Parties 
We recognize the inherent worth of every individual and aim to celebrate children no matter their circumstances! We offer free birthday parties for children who have encountered the child welfare system in addition to helping families celebrate other milestones such as graduations, adoptions, baby showers, etc. This is such a blessing for so many children; many who have never had elaborate parties or some who have never had the day of their birth celebrated. We want every child to know they were created for a purpose and worthy of being celebrated!
Visit our Hearten Program page to learn more!
Partners in Permanency
We believe it takes a village for all families to thrive. And as we began to come alongside children in foster care and their caregivers, we also committed to coming alongside their first caregivers - their birth family.
Partners in Permanency is designed to ensure all children and families have a network of supportive relationships and resources to establish long-term safety and stability. We have seen that the village is an essential piece of the permanency puzzle.
When foster parents and other caring community members walk alongside families, isolation ends. Families stay together, avoiding foster care altogether or reunifying with longer-lasting outcomes.
In fact, most children who enter foster care will either return home to their birth families or exit into the custody of biological relatives. Yet, there is a huge gap in post-reunification services available to help sustain these families.
Partners in Permanency steps into that gap. We work toward ongoing, committed relationships between our team, birth parents, and/or foster parents to best care for the children they love. We help everyone navigate the transition between homes, encourage teamwork, and help connect reunifying families to the resources and services that can truly help break cycles of generational adversity and keep families together
PARTNERS IN PERMANENCY GENERAL INTEREST FORM
Community Awareness
Though everyone is aware of the child welfare system, most people in our communities do not have personal experience with it. There are few ways to connect with and get to know children in foster care without personally becoming a foster parent. This often creates a gap between the need in the community and those who live their lives unaffected by it.
We create empathy and awareness between foster parents and children in foster care and the community at large, helping shed a light on the need through research and storytelling. We also speak at businesses, churches and community organizations to help educate on how the community can be involved with foster care. By building awareness, encouraging compassion and presenting needs, we give names and faces to those involved in foster care, thus building a bridge between those “in the system” and the community members who understand that we can make a difference when we work together.
