Nearly 150 prospective caregivers and stakeholders attended a caregiver recruitment and retention program virtual launch hosted by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
“We were overwhelmed by the amount of support we received from the community,” said Codie Veitenheimer, Caregiver Recruitment & Retention Program Supervisor. “We were overjoyed to have such great engagement and interaction during our time together.”
On July 1, 2020, DCYF created a new approach for caregiver recruitment and retention, consisting of community-focused, targeted recruitment (DCYF positions) and caregiver retention and support contracts (Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence).
DCYF’s Targeted Recruitment Specialists will serve as the point person and recruitment expert for their designated region. Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence’s Caregiver Retention, Education and Support (CaRES) program supports prospective foster parents and existing caregivers across the state.
This shift aims to attract a diverse pool of caregivers who can meet the unique needs of children placed in out-of-home care and achieve the following outcomes:
- Increase the number of caregivers who are racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse.
- Increase the number of caregivers who can accommodate sibling groups.
- Increase the number of caregivers for medically fragile children.
- Increase the number of caregivers for children with extensive emotional, behavioral, and physical needs.
For those who were unable to attend, you can view a recording of the event here.
To learn more about becoming a caregiver, visit our Become a Foster Parent page. For information about the Alliance for Child Welfare CaRES Program, visit the Alliance CaRES community.
View the Virtual Launch PowerPoint