Already a foster parent? CLICK HERE to find resources specific to you.
FOSTER
In Mecklenburg county, an average of one child enters foster care every day.
Foster care is meant to be a temporary situation.
THE GOAL: Re-unification with the child’s family of origin.
THE REALITY: For many kids, this is not the case. Finding a permanent home can be challenging, especially for children 9+ years of age.
THE RESULT: Many children end up languishing in the foster care system for years and eventually age-out. With little to no support, this increases the likelihood that they will experience poor adult outcomes; including poor physical and mental health, substance abuse, unwanted pregnancy, incarceration, and even death.
“Mecklenburg County is in desperate need of families willing to open their homes to children with complex sets of needs.”
There are 600 youth in foster care in Mecklenburg county waiting for their forever home.
We believe every child deserves the safety and stability of a loving home.
By partnering with the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, CFK has a unique opportunity to recruit foster parents and host MAPP (foster licensure) training classes tailored to the faith community. CFK makes this process more accessible for families by providing meals and childcare during the 6-week course.
We cannot always prevent trauma, abuse, & neglect. But we can make sure that there are more than enough families waiting to offer safe and loving homes to our city’s vulnerable children. More than enough champions for these kids.
“ CFK has created the smoothest most direct course from Point A to Point B in foster care and they go above and beyond. From the first training classes through the first placement to post placement assessment, CFK was there one step-ahead of my next question. For families looking to foster...there could not be a better means to do this than with the CFK Team.”
NEXT STEP: Attend a foster parent info session
Mecklenburg County residents (individuals and families) who are interested in becoming licensed foster parents through CFK’s training program are required to attend a “no-commitment” info session. Join us to hear from CFK staff as well as Mecklenburg County DSS staff to learn more about what it means to be a foster parent. This is a great place to ask all of your questions!
“We were so grateful to train in an environment that was warm, welcoming and honest. We still keep up with friends we made in the class - it was like an instant support group. CFK has shown up to help us well after becoming licensed and receiving placements. We have felt seen, appreciated, and supported along the way. I couldn’t imagine being a foster parent without them!”
Do you have a prayer request that you would like to share with CFK and our dedicated prayer team? Please submit below and we will be happy to partner in prayer with you.
“CFK has been an incredible support system for us as foster parents. They created a feasible and even enjoyable atmosphere for us to be trained (even with crazy work schedules and 3 kids). We have leaned on them throughout our fostering journey and their encouragement has been invaluable. One of the most difficult parts of foster care is feeling isolated or alone. CFK has continued to make us feel seen, known and cared for.”
Why Foster?
Watch the story below of CFK’s Executive Director, Nicole Taylor, and her foster parent journey.
“Foster care means choosing the pain of a great loss if it means that a child has received the gain of a great love. ”
WRAPAROUND CARE
Do you know a foster family that you would like to help? Are you interested in starting a community within your church or business to offer wraparound support to foster families you may already know?
CFK is helping to mobilize established communities – likely at churches or businesses – to wrap around foster families in the community. If you are interested in starting or enhancing a wraparound community within your organization, we would love to walk alongside you and provide wraparound training for your group.
Wraparound support can take many different forms. Our training helps to explain these forms of wrap-around care at a more detailed level as well as help give a picture of the types of things foster families encounter and give you a chance to get your questions answered.