Salvation Army

The Foster Home and Adoption Service contracts with the New York City Administration for Children's Services to provide foster home care to children removed from their birth homes because of allegations of neglect or abuse. We supervise the treatment of the children in foster care, ensuring that each child receives the necessary clinical, educational, life skills and recreational services, in addition to resolving any other problems that may arise from foster care placement.

In most cases, the goal is for each child to return to his or her birth family. If such a return is impossible, we examine other permanency options, which usually results in adoption by the foster parents.

In Nassau County, our Therapeutic Foster Boarding Home Program addresses the needs of more-difficult-to-place-adolescents -- 9 to 12 year olds who are considered too disturbed or difficult to be maintained in traditional foster care. Youngsters receive psychotherapy with a private therapist. Staff and foster parents also receive specialized training.

Future plans for foster care and adoption are aimed at the creation of more community-based models for placement. It is important for children who have gone through the trauma of removal from their families to have as much as possible that is familiar remain available to them, including school, friends and medical care. We are already beginning the implementation of such a community-based model in Jamaica, Queens.

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