PROGRAMS

FOSTER CARE

Foster care is designed to provide a temporary home and parenting to children who have been removed from their families due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

Foster care services continue until the child achieves permanency either through reunification, relative custody, adoption, or another permanent plan. Once permanency is achieved after-care services are provided to ensure the child's smooth transition to the placement.

Potential foster parents come in all shapes and sizes: married, single, homeowner or apartment resident, with children or without. The basic requirement is the desire to open your home to a child and to provide a safe loving environment.

 

Training For Relative Caregivers

The Guardian Assistance Program is a part of the foster care/licensing program with the Florida Department of Children and Families. The program below allows for relative caregivers to become licensed. You will receive some trauma-informed training and once you are licensed, you will receive a higher monthly stipend.

ADOPTION

Adoption is a legal action that gives all parental rights to adoptive parents, making the adopted child a legal member of the new family with all the rights and privileges of a biological child. When returning home is not an option, parental rightsare terminated and the focus of the KFF staff is to find a forever family for each child. Decisions are made based upon the best interest of the child, and all efforts are directed towards matching the right child with the right parent.

There are several steps to adopting a child from the foster care system. Potential adoptive parents must complete a home study, background screening, and successfully attend the 21-hour PRIDE course. Staff from KFF assist with this process, from orientation to finalization.

POST ADOPTION SUPPORT

KFF provides services to families in Clay County who are in the process of or have adopted children, including children adopted by relatives/non-relatives, foster parents, through the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance and private adoptions. Pre and post adoption services consists of case management, including referrals to community resources, crisis intervention and counseling. For those wanting to adopt, “Adoption 101 and Adoption 102” classes are also provided. These classes offer an overview of the adoption process. For those who have already adopted, post adoption support group meetings are held monthly at the KFF office.

PREVENTION

Prevention services attempt to stop child abuse and neglect from happening in the first place. The best way to prevent abuse and neglect is to support family members and prepare parents with the skills and resources they need to nurture their children. Prevention efforts build on family strengths. Activities provided include parent education, in home services, outreach, community education and parental support.

Prevention efforts help parents develop their parenting skills, understand the benefits of nonviolent discipline techniques, understand and meet their child's emotional, physical, and developmental needs.

One of the most important things you can do to prevent child abuse is to build a positive relationship with your children. Encourage your children. Praise their achievements and talents. Spend time doing things together that you enjoy.

PLACEMENT

While all attempts are made to keep children in the home with their families sometimes that is not possible. Placement of children in out-of-home care may be needed for a variety of reasons including abuse, neglect, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and abandonment.

The preferred placement is with an appropriate relative who is willing to provide for the needs of the child. If a relative placement is not available, The CPI and KFF's Placement Coordinator will work together to look for other placement options.

The Placement Coordinator tries to match the needs of the child with the strengths of the foster parent or other placement resource. The coordinator makes contact with all identified resources to determine their ability to accept the child. All efforts are made to place the child in close proximity to family members, their school, and community. When the local community is not an option, the closest suitable placement to meet the child's needs is located.

PROTECTIVE SUPERVISION

Each year there are approximately 2500 calls to the hotline involving Clay County families and issues of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Child Protection Investigators (CPI) from the Department of Children and Families are responsible for investigating those calls. KFF works with the CPI's when the need for services has been determined.
Once the family is referred to KFF by the CPI unit, trained professionals meet directly with individuals or family members to identify the cause of their difficulties. Counselors involve the family in creating realistic and practical solutions to resolve the issues identified during the investigation.

Services may include working with a family services counselor to resolve conflicts and improve communication between family members, becoming involved in a parenting class to learn behavior management strategies, participating in a children's therapy group to enhance self- esteem and improve coping skills, or receiving intensive in-home therapy to overcome a family crisis.

Protective supervision services can be voluntary or court ordered. Voluntary supervision is offered to families in situations where the child is at low risk for future maltreatment. Court ordered services are necessary in situations where the risk of further maltreatment is present.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Independent Living Services are offered to children in the foster care system to prepare them for the transition to adulthood.
Every year, hundreds of young adults set out to establish themselves and their future in Florida's communities without the benefit of parental guidance and support.
Through the Independent Living Program, we work to provide these young adults with the assistance they may need to thrive.

The goal of Independent Living Program is to improve the success of foster youth transitioning into adulthood from the foster care system. Services and supports are provided to Clay County youth leaving the dependency system to better prepare these young adults for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

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