Family and Children Services CEO Rosemary Gardiner says their facility has to expand to accommodate changes in child welfare and youth development programs.
Gardiner says her organization is serving more children in foster care. That’s part of the reason that they need more space. But she says the new facilities are also being designed to meet changes in programs for foster children. That includes the effort to reunite children with their birth parents who have lost custody under observed visits.
Gardiner says the key principles for children are safety, permanence and well-being. She says the expansion of the campus is designed to meet those principles. Gardiner says they are also focusing on ensuring that children are only placed with one foster family. And that when possible foster families and birth parents visit together with children.
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The Make Room for Hope Campaign has a goal of $5.1-million. On Tuesday, Family and Children Services announced that $4.5-million has already been raised. Gardiner says they hope to raise the rest of the goal in time to “put a shovel in the ground” this fall.