Extended Foster Care Explained
In some cases, young adults aging out of foster care qualify for extended time. Extended foster care allows a youth who would otherwise age out of the system to remain in state custody beyond age 18. Laws and requirements vary by state and change frequently, but almost every state provides a version of it. All […]
Prepare for a Home Study: What You Should Know
When looking to foster or adopt, families undergo a home study to determine their readiness to take in a child. A licensed social worker evaluates the home’s safety, runs background checks, and sometimes conducts interviews. Preparing for a home study can be an exciting yet daunting step for families looking to foster or adopt a […]
New Year’s Resolutions for Foster Families
As the New Year approaches, foster families have a unique opportunity to create New Year’s resolutions to support the children in their care. While resolutions sometimes feel like wishful thinking, they also offer a framework for meaningful, achievable goals that enrich the lives of foster families. We share seven manageable New Year’s resolutions for foster […]
Get Involved in Foster Care During the Season of Giving
As the holiday season approaches, many people want to give back to their communities and support causes that matter. For those wishing to help vulnerable children, supporting foster care during the season of giving makes a powerful difference. The season’s spirit of generosity — particularly during Giving Tuesday — presents a unique opportunity to get […]
Foster Care and Youth Homelessness
November is Homeless Youth Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the plight of homeless youth in the United States. This month-long observance highlights the urgent need to support and protect young people who face homelessness, many of whom aged out of foster care. The intersection of foster care and youth homelessness presents a […]
The Social Determinants of Health
When we say a family is in crisis, we usually mean they’re struggling with one or more social determinants of health. In these cases, children become much more likely to be removed from their homes. The state considers their needs unmet. So what are the social determinants of health, and how does For Others use them […]
A History of Foster Care in the United States
From the 1800s to today, the care for children without families in America shifted from orphanages to foster care. We owe many amazing individuals our thanks for their passion for the well-being of our nation’s children. Yet despite significant advances, the foster care system faces several challenges. A significant number of children still enter foster […]
Sibling Groups in Foster Care
Foster care is an extremely difficult experience for any child, but for sibling groups in foster care, the situation becomes even more complex. Sibling groups in foster care face unique challenges that require special attention and care. We explore the importance of keeping sibling groups together, the hurdles these children encounter, and why foster parents […]
Ideal Family Placements with The Contingent
The second focus of our Well-Being Support Ecosystem™ is to recruit and retain ideal family placements for children in foster care. But what is an ideal family placement, and how do we identify them? This is where our partner, The Contingent, comes in. Their data-driven model helps states identify potentially successful foster families with pinpoint […]
Family Preservation and Reunification with Restore Hope
One of the most effective and crucial ways to end the child welfare crisis is through family preservation and reunification, which is why it’s the first focus of our Well-Being Support Ecosystem™ approach. Over half of the cases involving child removal in 2023 were preventable. Family preservation keeps children from being placed in foster care, […]
The Well-Being Support Ecosystem™
For Others is thrilled to introduce its bold approach to end the child welfare crisis in America, called the Well-Being Support Ecosystem™. The title was decided after Jared Brown, our Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, spent months asking pointed questions and researching every detail about child welfare. Today, he sits down to answer all […]
How to Help Children in Foster Care Adjust to New Schools
Starting a new school can be a daunting experience for any child, but for children in foster care, this transition often comes with additional layers of complexity. Children in foster care face unique emotional and psychological challenges. Major changes like adjustment to a new school environment become even more difficult. In this article, we explore […]
