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The Devereux Foster Care Promise: All Children Deserve a Chance to Thrive

Every child – regardless of the circumstance he or she is born into – deserves a chance to dream big, a chance to be ambitious and a chance to realize their full potential. Yet for far too many children in the U.S., these fundamental building blocks, and the unconditional love and care that come along with them, are missing. Instead, many of the more than 400,000 children in the domestic foster care system face an unfortunate alternate reality: lower graduation rates, higher instances of incarceration and homelessness, and poor mental and physical health. These children dream simply of surviving, not thriving.

A Beacon of Hope

foster care parentWhen intervention is deemed necessary and a child is removed from a home, the stability, love and support provided by a foster parent or parents are not only transformative, but also lifesaving for children who are coping with the most difficult and stressful times of their young lives. For these children, being placed with a foster care provider is the best chance for survival and success in life. A foster home may be the first time they are experiencing the security of a safe physical shelter, the emotional support of a loving adult, proper health care and the comfort of food security

 “At Devereux, we are not only placing children with supportive and nurturing families, but giving them the extra quality of care that helps them thrive during the most difficult time of their lives.”Brian Hancock, J.D., Devereux N.J. Executive Director

The Devereux Difference

At Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, we work with more than 700 children and more than 500 parents across seven states. We understand the act of fostering is one of the most selfless and heroic decisions an adult can make. Equal parts challenging and rewarding, the role foster parents play in the lives of the children they welcome into their homes is deeply impactful. As a foster parent, you are stepping in at potentially one of the most critical turning points of a child’s life. Foster parents are the compass that children are desperately seeking out to navigate their path to true fulfillment.

Children in a foster care program come from diverse backgrounds and enter the system for a variety of reasons. On average, these youth are eight years old upon entry, which means they have had significant exposure – and likely formed some bond to a biological caretaker – before being removed from their homes. This means foster parents are in a unique situation to make a significant and positive impact on the life of a child (or children).

Like the foster children they serve, Devereux foster parents come from various walks of life. We work with coupled foster parents, single foster parents, LGBTQ foster parents and more. What matters is the ability to provide love and stability – not the makeup of the family.

Foster parents provide all the basic necessities required for the physical safety and security of children, including providing their home and meals. They also provide for their physical and mental health, and overall well-being. Often, because of the physical and mental trauma experienced, foster children require specialized health care. When working with foster care agencies like Devereux to welcome a child into your home, we help coordinate this care, ensuring our foster parents have the financial and other resources needed to provide children with shelter, food and health care required to flourish.

"My foster father, Steve, changed my life. He saw something in my future. I was facing a lot of challenges and confusion. He had answers for me and solutions for my challenges, and I knew that Devereux was right there behind us. There was never a moment when I was alone.”Lozelle Davis, former Devereux foster youth

Unlocking Human Potential

Foster children are challenged to overcome several hurdles in their lives. Similarly, the challenge of being a foster parent can be daunting. But at Devereux, as part of our mission to unlock and nurture human potential, we are committed to working with children and adolescents – and the adults who valiantly step up to provide for them – to ensure that their needs are met, and expectations are exceeded to carve a path for success.

Take the Next Step

Foster parents are needed. From short-term foster care to permanent foster care, and all situations in between, Devereux is here to guide new and previously certified foster parents on the next step of their journey. Learn more about the foster parent application process today.