“Every child deserves a strong support network of birth parents, foster parents, friends, and role models – the bigger the better” In a typical year, Aileen Loran throws what she calls the “Blended Family Cookout”, bringing together over 100 people for a giant celebration of family and belonging. With cookout t-shirts, plenty of food, fun …
Continue reading “Creating a Beautiful Blended Family Through Foster Care at CV”
When the Family First legislation was quietly signed into law in February, it was the culmination of years of lobbying by experts in the foster care field, including CV’s President and CEO, Jeremy Kohomban, whom the Chronicle of Social Media described as being a “key player behind Washington’s biggest foster care reform in decades.” The …
In “The foster care system was unprepared for the last drug epidemic — let’s not repeat history,” Jeremy Kohomban, CV’s President and CEO, along with co-authors Jennifer Rodriguez and Ron Haskins, urges local and state welfare systems to focus on foster parent training and retention initiatives. “Having more children in foster care will intensify what …
Continue reading “The Opioid Epidemic is Pushing More Children into Foster Care”
Papa Hue and Papa Van “You’re family” is the frequent refrain from Papa Hue (O’Donna Hue Osbourne) and Papa Van (Van Lee) to the succession of children and teens who have made their big, welcoming house their home. In the last ten years, the two have fostered teens Quentin, Ernest, Trevon, Diamond, Shane, Quesar, and …
Continue reading “10 Foster/Adoptive Children — And Counting”
Foster parents are game-changers for children–for most children in foster care, they are the most important adults in their lives. A new initiative, Children Need Amazing Parents (CHAMPS), aims to focus money and energy on improving the existing network of foster homes so that children achieve better outcomes in health, development, education, and connecting with …
Continue reading “CV President Co-Chairs National Foster Care Campaign”
Most of the children and youth we serve come from generations of poverty. Breaking that cycle, particularly for kids without families to lean on, who have arrest records, or who are teen parents, is difficult and, some say, impossible. The good news is that, with help, these students can succeed and often become the first …
Continue reading “Outcome Corner: High School Education for Foster Children”
It wasn’t until her own twins got into trouble with the law that Phyllis decided to become a foster parent. She realized that even great parents sometimes need help and, vice versa, wonderful kids can get themselves in trouble. She learned forgiveness. The first teenage boy she fostered came to her straight from prison. He left her to attend college. When a teen arrives in Phyllis’ care, …
You are the Key to Success Love your family. Spend time, be kind & serve one another. Make no room for regrets. Tomorrow is not promised & today is short. Parent involvement in a child’s life makes it much more likely that the child will stay in school, graduate, and move on to a successful career. Our …
Every effort is and should be made to keep children home and avoid residential placement. But there are some children and teens who can and do benefit from a period of out-of-home placement. When you are unable to mange your child’s behavior safely or to meet his educational and other needs, there are three ways …
Because Every Child Deserves a Home We believe that children of all ages do best when they are with family. When a child is put into foster care, we work to get him or her home as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we work with almost 400 loving, supportive foster parents who provide temporary …
