When children can't live safely at home, the court can give temporary legal custody to CPS (Child Protective Services), who then places the children in substitute care while they work with parents to reunify the family.
REUNIFICATION is the big word the professionals use but to kids it means "going home" which is always their desire... no matter how bad things were.
Texas at a glance...
7.5 million children living in Texas.
31,772 children are under the protective care of the state.
11,612 children living with kinship caregivers.
THE FIVE NEEDS OF FOSTER CARE
According to the most recent data from the Administration for Children and Families, Texas places a higher percentage of children and youth in kinship placements (44.5 percent) than the national average (34 percent).Kinship caregivers can be a life-changing resource for children and youth entering care, ultimately reducing the numbers of children placed in out of home group care settings.
Are you a caregiver to a relative child?
Texas law provides a way for kinship (relatives or unrelated individuals with whom a child had a significant relationship prior to coming into CPS care) to become licensed foster parents for children in CPS custody for whom they are the primary caregivers.
Family knows family best! Divinity knows family!
Divinity has a heart for kinship families and understands the individual challenges that they face both emotionally and financially as they are asked, sometimes unexpectedly, to assume a parenting role for these children.
Divinity has been serving kinship families from day one and has built the reputation as an agency who goes above and beyond to meet the unique needs of kinship caregivers with respect, common sense, and the compassion they deserve.
Our kinship families say we take the stress out of a very confusing process.
All of our services can be offered in Spanish, if that is the preference of the family. Divinity has bi-lingual culturally competent staff in all stages of service.
If you are a kinship caregiver for children in CPS custody, we encourage you to call our office 830-890-5838 and speak to a member of our development team about the benefits of becoming a licensed foster home for the children in your care.
CLICK HERE to contact us
Every attempt is made to place children with kinship caregivers (relatives/unrelated person with whom they have a significant relationship). This is not always possible.
If you are teachable, love children, and want to have a positive impact on your community, fostering may be the avenue for you to make a lasting difference in a hurting child's life. But you must know the path is not for the weak and foster care in a child's mind, is the only place where "your mother becomes a stranger and a stranger becomes your mother."
Divinity believes that our foster parents are the true heroes in changing children's lives. It is our desire to equip foster parents to parent “children from hard places” with insight and compassion. Divinity has embraced the parenting principles taught by Dr. Karen Purvis called "Trust Based Relational Intervention" (TBRI). Parenting "children from hard places" can not be approached in the same manner as children who have not experienced trauma. All children who are involved in the CPS system have experienced trauma and need caregivers who understand their needs and have the tools to meet those needs. The foster home is where HOPE and HEALING take root.
We also understand the challenges in maintaining compliance with numerous state regulations, the time constraints involved with paperwork and documentation while parenting children. Divinity strives to provide comprehensive guidance and support to our families all along the way.
You can count on us to return your calls and emails within 24 hours!
Divinity gives HOPE to families who are called to serve "children from hard places.”
“There is no better gift to give a child than a family.” -Anonymous
CLICK HERE to contact us for more information or call our office now 830-890-5838
The Kelly Family shares what fostering means to them:
Fostering, for our family, can be summed up in one word…FIRST.
First time playing baseball and feeling like a star.
First time fishing. First big catch that took a while.
First time realizing that police don’t just drive a car.
First day of school, getting ready for future fame.
First time being a kid, dancing in the cold rain.
First time going on an educational ambulance ride.
First time seeing a Santa with real hair.
First time standing this close to a live bear!
You see, in our home, firsts happen every day.
We do our best to let kids just be kids and help them take their stress away- Kelly Family
Sometimes children who are placed in foster care are not able to be reunified with their birth family, during the 12-18 month timeframe allowed by the court. In these situations, the court has the option to terminate the legal relationship between the child and their biological parents. It is also possible that parents will voluntarily relinquish their legal rights to parent the child. When either of these circumstances occurs, the child becomes legally-free for adoption.
Children in foster care who are legally-free may be adopted by their current related or unrelated foster parents or be matched with straight adopt families. Our agency offers dual licensing which means that you will be certified to foster and adopt, if you choose to do so.
The goal of adoption is to provide a permanent legal forever-family for the children. CPS and the court have many considerations when matching a child with an adoptive family.
Here are a few:
• Keeping biological siblings together
• The child's desires
• Educational setting
• Willingness to maintain safe "connections" for the child
• Dynamics of the adoptive family
• Level of training and experience with children
There are over 1,000 children, just in the San Antonio area, waiting for a Forever Family. Grow your family through ADOPTION!
Give HOPE! Hear the hearts of those who have said YES- VIDEO LINK
“Parenthood requires love, not DNA.” -Anonymous
We would love to speak to you about becoming a foster/adoptive parent. Please call 830-890-5838 to speak to a member of our foster/adoptive home development team or email us at: info@divinityfamilyservices.com
Divinity is Changing The Face of Foster Care across Texas:
Bexar County (San Antonio) and the surrounding counties of CPS Region 8.
Travis County (Austin) and the surrounding counties of CPS Region 7.
Tarrant County (Fort Worth) and all counties of Region 3 East and West.
Headquarters:
Divinity Family Services, Inc.
1312 Bandera Hwy.
Kerrville, TX 78028
(830)-890-5838
Region 7 Branch Location
Divinity Family Services, Inc.
1205 State Highway 123 South, Suite 204
San Marcos, TX 78666
(830)-890-5838
Region 3 Branch Location
Divinity Family Services, Inc.
6777 Camp Bowie Blvd, Suite 226
Fort Worth, TX 76116
(830)-890-5838
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