Fostering Family

FOSTERING FAMILY IS COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING HOUSTON'S FOSTER AND KINSHIP FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT SURROUND THEM THROUGH TRAINING AND COLLABORATION. IN NOVEMBER 2021, FOSTERING FAMILY FILED FOR AN ASSUMED NAME CERTIFICATE, AND IN MAY 2022 REBRANDED TO THE PUBLIC AS THE RIVERSIDE PROJECT. WHILE THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION HAS CHANGED, WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE SAME CORE PROGRAMS AND HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NEW INITIATIVES.

SEE SCHEDULE OTHE RIVERSIDE PROJECT LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2020 TO EQUIP AND MOBILIZE HOUSTON'S CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THEIR AREA. THROUGH COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOPS AND ONGOING COACHING, THE RIVERSIDE PROJECT EQUIPS CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO MEET NEEDS IN THEIR SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT LEAD TO CHILDREN ENTERING FOSTER CARE. CORE INITIATIVES OF THE RIVERSIDE PROJECT INCLUDE:CAREPORTAL: A TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE FAMILIES TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH THE RIVERSIDE PROJECT WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE. FOSTERING FAMILY UTILIZED THE CAREPORTAL PLATFORM FROM JUNE 2020 UNTIL MARCH 2021. BEGINNING IN APRIL 2021, FOSTERING FAMILY LAUNCHED THE RESPONSE NETWORK AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO USING THE CAREPORTAL PLATFORM TO MEET THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT, 378 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES IN FY22. TRUST-BASED RELATIONAL INTERVENTION (TBRI)TRAINING: AN INITIATIVE TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS IN ATTACHMENT-BASED, TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION TO MEET THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF CHILDREN FROM HARD PLACES. 89 PROFESSIONALS WERE TRAINED IN THE TBRI FOR CAREGIVERS CURRICULUM DURING FY22. CHURCH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: WE EQUIP AND MOBILIZE CONGREGATIONS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO 1) IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THEIR CONGREGATIONS 2) MOBILIZE THEIR COMMUNITIES TO SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND 3) WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT. DURING FY22, 54 CHURCH LEADERS ATTENDED OUR CHURCH LEADER TRAINING.

THE BABYSITTING COLLABORATIVE IS A STREAM-LINED, MULTI-AGENCY CERTIFICATION COURSE FOR FOSTER CARE BABYSITTERS. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES CARE AND SUPPORT TO CURRENT FOSTER AND KINSHIP FAMILIES, AND IT GROWS THE NETWORK OF PEOPLE RELATIONALLY CONNECTED TO FAMILIES CARING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION BETWEEN CERTIFIED CHILD PLACING AGENCIES (CPAS).SINCE JULY 2020, THE BABYSITTER CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM HAS UTILIZED A PORTAL SYSTEM FOR DOCUMENTATION MANAGEMENT AND VIRTUAL TRAINING. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDE MONTHLY IN-PERSON CPR SKILLS CHECK-OFFS. IN FY22, 168 BABYSITTERS WERE CERTIFIED.

SEE SCHEDULE OTHE COALITION OF CHILD SERVING SECTORS (CCSS) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED READINESS INITIATIVE SPEARHEADED BY THE TEXAS ALLIANCE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES (TACFS) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPELCHIN CHILDREN'S CENTER. OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHAIRED THE PROVIDER WORKGROUP OF THIS INITIATIVE AND HELPED TO DEVELOP TWO COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN IN OUR LOCAL CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, INCLUDING 1) KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER: A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS BARRIERS THAT CAUSE KINSHIP FAMILIES TO DELAY, DECLINE OR DISCONTINUE THE FOSTER PARENT LICENSING PROCESS, AND 2) RTC/GRO LEARNING COMMUNITY: TRANSFORMING RESIDENTIAL INTERVENTIONS IN REGION 6. THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, WE WORKED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE MONTHLY INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR KINSHIP FAMILIES, PROVIDED SUPPORT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KINSHIP FAMILIES, AND HOSTED AN 8-WEEK BOOK STUDY, TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING, AND COLLABORATIVE CALLS FOR CONGREGATE CARE PROVIDERS.

THROUGH THE CHILDREN WITHOUT PLACEMENT PROGRAM, FOSTERING FAMILY SUPPORTED THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES BY PROVIDING TANGIBLE ITEMS FOR THE CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT WHO HAVE NOWHERE TO SLEEP AS THEY AWAIT A MORE STABLE PLACEMENT. FOSTERING FAMILY HAS MOBILIZED THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE MEALS TO CHILDREN WITHOUT PLACEMENT AND WE HAVE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES, AND MORE STABLE LIVING SPACES.