• By Katie McDaniel
• Posted Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Attention Generous Community Members

Did you know?

Across North Carolina, about 11,000 children are in foster care. The last Census shows that over 11% of children in NC are raised by grandparents and other relatives in informal non-foster care homes. Parenting is financially, emotionally and physically challenging and more so for relatives unexpectedly parenting.

What is the difference between foster parents and relative caregivers?

Foster parents are people who are trained and licensed by our agency and the state to parent children removed from neglectful or abusive homes by the court system. Foster parents receive monthly compensation and medical coverage to cover the child’s basic needs.

Relative caregivers are family members who provide care to children in their family. These children could be placed by DSS or the family may have made an arrangement without involving our agency. Thanks to these relatives the children are safe and their basic needs are being met. These families receive a monetary compensation of $278 a month total (not per child). Imagine covering the cost of three teens on this limited amount.

Make a difference this season. Share your cheer with children and families in our community.

How can you help?

Relative families request assistance with necessary basics as well as other common items that every child deserves. Children in foster care request items they would like to have from a wish list because their basic needs are met with the board payment to the foster family; additionally you may provide a gift card to a teen if you like.

Contributions can be in the form of gift cards so families can purchase items or you can purchase items from a list the family submits.

Who are some relative caregivers and children in foster care in our community?

• Mr. and Mrs. M are 69 and 67, retired, raising their nine-year-old great grand daughter
• Ms. E., age 55, raises her four grandchildren ages 12, 8, 6, and 4
• Chris and Steven are ages 8 and 12 – in foster care a few months
• Michael is 15 – in foster care since age 7 years

Why do children live with relatives?

Children live with relatives because their parents are incarcerated, deceased, battle addictions, or have mental health concerns that limit their ability to provide the basic needs or care for their children. Children living with relatives can be referred to as informal foster care.

Why are children in formal foster care?

Children are in foster care because of abuse or neglect and/or their parents are unable to provide care because of the same reasons that children are living with relatives.

How do I get family lists and/or get started to coordinate a service project?

You can help by supporting Informal foster care, relatives raising the “children of others". Please see the attached flyer and contact Katie McDaniel at 703-3744 or mcdanike@forsyth.cc. The program is coordinated by the Relatives as Parents Program, RAPP, a support tool provided by Social Services for kinship families since 2003.

Supporting children in formal foster care, licensed families recruited by the state to serve as parents to youth in our care. The youth in care holiday project is coordinated by:

• Carolyn Thomas at 703–3706 or thomascj@forsyth.cc
• Cassandra Williams at 703-3708 or williach@forsyth.cc.

View the sponsor process here.

Holiday donations must be received at Social Services by Thursday, December 12th, at 5:00 pm. All drop offs need a scheduled date/time to assure coordinators are available.

This holiday assistance project is proudly sponsored by Social Services’ Relatives as Parents Program, “RAPP” Groups, and Foster Home Services.