"Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story." - Josh Shipp

What Is Foster Care?

Foster care is temporary care of a youth until they can return home, emancipate or are adopted (if parental rights are terminated). This can last anywhere from overnight to several months and even years.

Goal of Reunification

From the time a youth is removed from their home, their caseworker and child welfare team work diligently to plan for permanency for the youth. Permanency is achieved through the youth returning home, long term placement with a relative or kin, emancipation or adoption.

Our main priority is safety and well-being for the youth, and we value the bond and relationships youth have with their family. We believe and research indicates youth have a better chance at success when they are with family; therefore, reunification with family is our main goal.

Youth return home or are placed with a relative or kin 80-90% of the time. In 2021, 1,111 children were successfully reunified with family!

Role of Foster Parent

“The foster parents do not replace the parental authority of the child’s family, but rather become reunification partners, supporting and maintaining the child’s connection with the birth family.” Annie E Casey, 2001: Recruitment, Training and Support: The essential tools of foster care.

As a Foster Parent, you will meet the day-to-day needs of the youth placed in your home. You are not their guardian, nor will you have legal custody of a youth in your care, but you are a vital member of our team. You must be able to provide for the youth unconditionally. The responsibilities are significant, but the rewards are great!

A Note on Adoption

Adoption of children in our care only occurs after every measure is exhausted to keep them safely with their biological family. When that cannot happen, we seek to place those children permanently with one of our foster parents. 

Collaborative Foster Care Program is the only public source for adoption in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties, however there are several private agencies in Colorado. A full list of these can be found on the CO4Kids website. Differences between Collaborative Foster Care Program and a private agency will be further explained at our Information Meeting. The licensing process in our program for foster and foster to adopt is the same.