NEW JERSEY
Parenthood is almost universally regarded as one of the most challenging and rewarding undertakings, filled with ups and downs, laughter and tears, and rewards and sacrifices. It is also one of the most meaningful "jobs" a person can ever perform — helping a child grow, thrive and learn to navigate the challenges of life.
If you love being a parent and making a meaningful difference in the lives of adolescents by helping them reach their potential, Children's Aid and Family Services may have just the right employment opportunity for you. The Paramus-based organization is offering a rewarding career opportunity that is truly more than just a job. It's closer to a calling. Specifically, Children's Aid and Family Services is seeking committed couples who are passionate about parenting and making a positive difference, to serve as professional foster parents.
The professional foster parents live in an agency-owned home with teenaged foster children. Couples of all ages, and all backgrounds are welcome. However, Children's Aid and Family Services can only consider families who have experience dealing with teens. The agency pays a salary and benefits to one stay-at-home parent, while the other parent may work outside the home. A full-time youth counselor is also part of the team. Additionally, Children's Aid and Family Services pays utilities and food expenses.
Children's Aid and Family Services is a non-profit human services organization that has been helping children who don't have families able to care for them since 1899. Its mission is to preserve, protect and, when needed, provide families. The organization has a long, successful track record of finding loving families to provide a nurturing environment to the foster children in its care. Services include foster care and adoption, as well as community services that help children, young adults, the elderly and their families through the everyday challenges and transitions in life. Children's Aid and Family Services has a talented and dedicated staff of 250, and nearly 500 committed volunteers who help vulnerable people in our community improve their lives.
It is critical that prospective professional foster parents understand the importance of family, are community-minded, and strive to be good role models to help positively change the lives of the teenagers for whom they'll be caring. It is helpful if they have prior experience working in a group environment with adolescents. In many instances, these young people have experienced tremendous disruption in their young lives because of multiple foster placements. They desperately need the opportunity to experience a stable home and loving family environment. Most important, they need to know someone will be there for them to take them to the doctor when they're sick, help them with that tricky math problem, eat dinner with them and talk to them about their day. The professional foster parent will also help teach them important life skills, such as laundry and basic budgeting.
The agency's comprehensive training will equip professional foster parents with the specific skills to help them handle the special needs of children in foster care. Additionally, there is support every step of the way, including respite care, the help of a full-time youth counselor and a caring professional staff absolutely committed to your — and the foster children's — success.
"Most of these children have been terribly disappointed by adults in the past," says Rose Zeltser, senior vice president, child welfare services for Children's Aid and Family Services. "A professional foster parent plays an important role in how these children view adults. It's a big responsibility, but the parents make a huge difference not only to the children, but to society as well, by helping the children become stable, loving adults."
Sadly, there are thousands of children in New Jersey who, through no fault of their own, cannot live with their own birth families. They want things most of us take for granted: a place to call home, a family who will be there for them every day, and parents who will go to their Back to School nights and cheer them on during their soccer games. For more than 110 years, Children's Aid and Family Services has been helping children find nurturing and loving foster and adoptive families.
Children's Aid and Family Services also has other ways for you to help a vulnerable child. There is a tremendous need for Treatment Home foster parents, who care for special-needs foster children in their own homes, as well as adoptive parents for medically fragile infants and toddlers. Further, there are many older children in desperate need of a loving family to adopt them. If you or someone you know may be interested in any of these opportunities to help children and make a positive impact on the future, call Children's Aid and Family Services' recruitment specialist at 201-226-0300, extension 242. You may also visit www.cafsnj.org for more information.
Children's Aid and Family Services
14 March 2010
http://www.northjersey.com/news/87610167_Professional_foster_parent__more_than_a_job.html
