State Highlights Vital Role of Resource Families During National Foster Care Month

TRENTON – Recognizing the important role foster, adoptive, and kinship families play in the well-being of vulnerable children, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) is reinforcing its commitment to strengthening its child welfare work by fortifying good customer service to these resource families.

The department’s new Resource Family Retention Plan acknowledges that, as members of the DCF professional team, resource families are critical to the future of children in crisis and are to be treated with respect, empathy, and professionalism.

The plan establishes five core values regarding the department’s work with resource families:

• Knowing and understanding each resource family’s strengths, abilities, willingness, and challenges;
• Developing open communication that is respectful, responsive, honest, and empathetic;
• Involving resource families in developing plans for children in their care;
• Consulting and involving resource families in decisions made on behalf of children in their care; and
• Continuously evaluating the department’s performance meeting the needs of resource families.

“New Jersey’s resource families are a cherished resource and invaluable to our work serving children and families, and I believe it is our duty to serve these families well,” said DCF Commissioner Allison Blake.  “To elevate our child welfare practice further, we’re providing staff training to support and reinforce customer service skills.”

Nearly five thousand licensed families are either caring for, or are ready to care for, children who have been abandoned, neglected, or abused and temporarily unable to live at home.  Within the past year, the state has licensed more than twelve hundred new resource families.

“Resource families are indispensable to helping children overcome traumatic experiences that no child should ever have to endure,” said Blake.  “These are special people, having opened their hearts and homes to children in need.  They have our department’s utmost admiration and deserve to be treated with the respect they deserve.”

For information how to become a foster family, visit http://www.state.nj.us/njfosteradopt/foster/parent/ or call 1-877-NJFOSTER.

DCF is dedicated to ensuring a better today and an even greater tomorrow for every individual the department serves.  In partnership with New Jersey's communities, DCF ensures the safety, well-being, and success of New Jersey's children and families.  DCF funds and directly provides services and support to over 100,000 women, children, and families each month.