The Vital Role of Family in Foster Care
At the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), we believe children and youth belong with their families in the communities they call home. When safety concerns arise, and a temporary foster home is needed, our primary goal should be to help support successful reunification.
In the realm of child welfare, public narratives often misrepresent adoption as the ultimate goal of foster care. While adoptive parents are very worthy of respect, and we fully support permanency for children and youth who cannot safely return home, adoption is not the goal we should be hoping for when youth enter foster care. Instead, our primary focus must be on helping preserve and heal families whenever it can be done safely.
Keeping families together, when possible, is not just ideal. It's essential for the well-being and long-term stability of children and youth. Research consistently shows that children and youth have better emotional, behavioral, and developmental outcomes when they can remain safely with their families. Youth who return home experience fewer school disruptions and mental health challenges than those who age out or linger in the foster care system.
When families are provided with the right resources, trust, positive human connections, support, and time, many can heal, stabilize, and create safe, nurturing homes for their children. We owe it to both youth and their parents to work toward reunification first, not as an afterthought, but as a core objective of foster care.
Federal and state policy is increasingly reflecting this philosophy. The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) shifts the child welfare system's focus from reaction to prevention. FFPSA supports funding for programs and services that assist families in resolving challenges before removing youth from their homes becomes necessary.
Programs like our Strengthening Families Program and Family Preservation Services provide critical support, resources, parenting education, behavioral health care, substance use support, and in-home assistance. These services stabilize families so children and youth can either stay home safely or return home as soon as possible.
However, even the best programs and resources tend to fail without the most critical component: a trusted, positive human connection.
One of the most powerful and underutilized tools that makes the most impact in foster care is co-parenting, which is the collaborative relationship between foster parents and a youth's primary family. When executed effectively and with the best intentions, co-parenting promotes empathy, breaks down barriers, fosters mentorship, and builds trust. Foster parents can help families understand what their children need to feel safe and nurtured while also modeling healthy and supportive parenting. This approach often extends to providing continued support when children and youth return home to their families.
Foster families have a vital role in the process of reunification. They aren't merely temporary caregivers; they can also serve as mentors and supporters for the parents of the youth in their care. Children and youth benefit from having an additional family that cares about them, providing positive role models who help support and empower families to thrive long after reunification.
Reunification isn't always easy or possible. But when it is, it's a triumph of love, resilience, and community. It's a youth sleeping in their own bed, parents who've overcome incredible odds, and a support system that believes in them both.
That is the success story we should be telling.
Foster care should serve as a pathway to healing, with compassionate family members, friends, or community members filling the gap to provide stability and care until children and youth can safely return home. Restoring families is a goal deserving of our unwavering commitment.
If you are interested in supporting families by becoming a NYAP foster parent, please reach out to us at 877-NYAP-CAN, becomeafosterparent@nyap.org, or learn more by visiting the link below.