Shelter care is a program designed to provide children and adolescents with a safe and nurturing home immediately after they’ve been removed from their family of origin, experienced a disruption in their current placement, or have returned from a runaway episode. Children who find themselves in these circumstances are often afraid, confused, angry, and without their personal items. They want someone who will provide them with stability and meet their emotional needs while they adjust to the changes in their lives. These children may be placed for short periods of time prior to returning to their family or previous placement or may be permanently placed in the home as a therapeutic foster care placement.
Children in this program need someone who can help them with these common issues:
- Developmental delays
- Emotional trauma
- Physical injuries
- Medical concerns
- Family history of abuse and/or neglect
Foster parents who participate in this program must be willing and able to:
- Accept children 24 hours per day/7 days per week
- Have accommodations made for necessary childcare upon arrival of the child
- Have access to physical provisions necessary to care for children of all ages (i.e. beds/cribs, clothing, car seats, diapers, bottles, etc.)
- Provide transportation to visits, appointments, court, etc.
- Work with a variety of professional service providers to meet the needs of the child in their home
