Children Served

Children in therapeutic foster care have been clinically assessed and meet the criteria for being severely emotionally disturbed, are 3 to17 years of age and have a substantial impairment in functioning in the family, community or academic setting. The child can be at risk of removal from the home or has already been removed from the home and/or mental disorder and impairments have been present for more than 6 months or are likely to continue for more than one year without treatment.  Additionally, a Healthy Futures Treatment Team has determined that therapeutic foster care is medically necessary.

Children in therapeutic foster care have been removed from their homes because their families were unable to care for them, could not meet their severe needs or were abusive towards them. Many have suffered physical, mental or sexual abuse, or neglect. Some may experience developmental delays, with varying root causes.

Each child will have a different ability to function on a daily basis.  Many of these children have had poor role models and untrusting relationships with adults, or have experienced traumatic events and, in the process, have developed a poor self image and inadequate social, coping, communication and problem-solving skills. They may not be age-appropriate in their development and have additional issues to work through, may become easily frustrated or confused by their own thinking patterns, and may not have the abilities to accomplish tasks successfully.

Some of these children have never had the structure of a normal childhood.  They may appear defiant; however, it is not always that they do not want to do something, but rather that they may not know how.

Many of these children often feel as if they do not fit in anywhere. They frequently experience low self-esteem and frustration from not being able to make friends or be popular.  They can become the bully or class clown, shut down totally, be shy, act out, be aggressive or be suicidal.  They may not know how to respond or act in a given situation and therefore need assistance in making appropriate choices.

Despite these struggles, therapeutic foster children have strengths and challenges just like other children. They need more guidance, more structure, more teaching; but like all children, they want to learn, to grow, to belong in a family and to be loved for who they are. They need families who can understand their challenges and be flexible enough to keep trying to find ways to help them.