Foster Care Services More than 3,000 children are in foster care in San Diego county. We can help.

Understanding the critical need

San Diego Youth Services is one of the region’s best providers and source for foster care opportunities. Utilizing our one-to-one approach, we create outstanding outcomes for foster families.

Our foster families provide safe, stable and healing home environments for children who have experienced neglect and abuse. Our services also include a focus on helping current and former foster youth transition into thriving, self-sufficient, self-actualized adults. 

We provided foster services to 267 children and youth this year.
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What is a Resource Parent?

A Resource Parent/ Resource Family is an individual or family that fosters. Resource Parents include parents that foster-to-adopt and kinship caregivers. California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and California Legislators found that the term “Resource Parent” helped eliminate the hurdles and stigma. Resource Parents provide safe and loving homes to children in the

We give Resource Parents all they need to successfully provide loving homes and raise thriving/prospering kids and teenagers.

Becoming a Resource Parent

Adopted child and parents

Children need parents. They need families. Every child needs someone to connect deeply with, someone they can count on and trust. Resource families come in all shapes and sizes. We are helping families redefine what a traditional foster family looks like.

We are encouraging potential Resource parents to envision the possibilities, and we are with our foster parents every step of the way. From administrative to emotional support, we ensure our parents are feeling just as valued as our foster kids. We provide ongoing support to our Resource parents, so they know they have a partner in navigating the Resource Family relationship.

We give Resource Parents all they need to successfully provide loving homes and raise thriving/prospering kids and teenagers.

We do foster care differently

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The traditional foster care system is broken.

Children who experience neglect and abuse are left with trauma. The children are exposed to re-traumatization when they are taken from their families, no matter how damaging the environment was. Then the traditional foster care model repeats that cycle each time a child is moved from one “bed” to another in the system created to protect them. This model of intervention often causes unintentional additional trauma. The child is left with a home that has failed to provide a safe, loving, therapeutic environment that is necessary for our children to thrive and heal.

We are passionate about a new brand of foster care that will meet the goals for every single child. Our highly trained and committed foster parents are the key to finding the solution instead of perpetuating the problem.

We must be part of the solution.

We hope you’re looking for a new life journey. If you accept this commitment, your life will be changed from the inside out. We are looking for amazing parents who are all in, fully committed to the child in their trust until a permanent, loving family wraps their arms around that child. Are you in?

Independent Living Skills

The Independent Living Skills Program (ILS) provides former foster youth the tools and resources they need to transition smoothly into becoming independent and self-sufficient adults.

The program helps ensure that, upon exiting foster care, youth will be enrolled in college, vocational programs and/or be employed, as well as be in a stable housing situation.

Last year, we helped 241 foster youth to develop independent living skills.
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Aftercare Services

Upon leaving the foster care system, aftercare services are available until a youth’s 21st birthday.

Such services may include: financial assistance for employment or educational purposes, housing assistance, scholarships, Medi-Cal, household items, gift cards and other resources, when possible.