Foster Programs at Boys & Girls Aid

Have you thought about foster care, but weren’t sure if it’s right for you? Here at Boys & Girls Aid, we are committed to putting foster parents in a program that’s a good fit for them and their family, to ensure long-term success.

Our foster youth are referred from the state and placed into one of our three therapeutic foster care programs, based on their needs. When you reach out to our recruitment team for information about fostering, they will provide you with information about each program, answer questions and help you determine which is the best match for you. They will take into account your location, your existing family, your preferred age range and your experience.

Foster parents in all programs go through training and certification before getting a placement. They also attend ongoing monthly foster parent training on different topics and have access to a 24/7 support line to ensure that they can manage any dilemma that might arise. All foster families at Boys & Girls Aid receive a generous stipend of $1,200-$3,500 per month to help care for the youth.

Let’s go over the three foster care programs at Boys & Girls Aid.

The Nest

The Nest program is long-term therapeutic foster care for our younger children, ages 4-10. These children have experienced significant trauma and need caregivers who are trained to care for them in a trauma-informed manner. Youth at the Nest usually stay for six months to a year, although it’s on a case-by-case basis.

The Nest actually consists of two areas- what we call “The Big Nest” and “Little Nests.” The Big Nest is at our Cypress House location. Children at the Big Nest live together in a home-like setting with 24-hour supervision from Boys & Girls Aid staff. Here, the children learn skills, work on their coping mechanisms and get individualized attention.

Little Nests are individual foster homes. For Little Nests, we require a two-parent household with at least one parent having a flexible schedule in order to attend to the child’s appointments and supervision. Little Nest parents are offered five hours per week of relief care, during which a trained relief worker tends to the foster youth so the parents can have a break. Additional relief time for vacations and other longer-duration breaks is also available.

STEP

STEP, which stands for stabilization, transition, and evaluation program, is a community-based alternative to detention program with short-term foster care for youth ages 10-18. Youth in this program have minor legal charges but it was determined that they would do better in a supportive home environment rather than a detention center. This program aims to teach life skills and model healthy relationships, with the goal of keeping the child out of the juvenile justice system in the future.

The length of stay for STEP youth is generally 30-90 days. During this time, the youth attends the STEP program in person from 7 am- 6 pm every weekday. Staff at the program transport the youth to and from school.

Couples or single providers can be foster parents in the STEP program. Relief care is available for vacations and other longer-duration breaks.

The Neighborhood

Finally, the Neighborhood is our long-term therapeutic foster care program for teens ages 12-20. The goal at the Neighborhood is to provide a network of supportive adults to mentor and help the youth flourish.

Youth in the Neighborhood program usually stay at their placement for anywhere from nine months to two years. Ideally, foster families in the Neighborhood are two-parent households, although single providers are considered if it’s the right fit.

Parents in the Neighborhood receive six hours per week of relief care, with additional relief time for vacations and other longer-duration breaks available.

Bonus- Relief Care!

If none of these programs sound like a good fit, or if you want to give fostering a try without committing to a full-time placement just yet, you can also apply to be a relief caregiver. Relief caregivers provide care for foster youth for limited durations while their regular foster parents take a break (think date nights, out of state vacations, etc.).

Relief caregivers complete the same training and certification as our foster parents. Being a relief caregiver requires availability of two weekends per month regularly, with the ability to offer up to two weeks of care at times.

If you’re interested in fostering with Boys & Girls Aid, sign up for one of our free online information sessions. Information sessions are held twice a month and require no obligation. Come, ask questions and see if being a foster parent is right for you!

You can also reach out to Hallie Campbell, Outreach & Certification Coordinator, for more information at hcampbell@boysandgirlsaid.org or 503-544-7003.

Learn more about Boys & Girls Aid’s foster programs on our website or at an information session.