Additional Child Welfare Resources

Supporting Organizations

A Home Within: A project connecting foster children with therapists for open ended psychotherapy.

California Alliance of Caregivers: offers resources and programs supporting caregivers throughout the state.

California Family Urgent Response System (FURS): A free hotline for current or former foster youth and their caregivers to call and get immediate help for any issues (big or small) they may be having. The hotline is open 24 hours per day. When you call the FURS hotline, you will be connected with a trained counselor or peer who will listen to you. FURS is a safe and private space to talk. If more support is needed, a local team can come directly to where you are to help you work on the problem and create a plan to help stabilize your situation and keep everyone safe. The team will also help connect you to local services and future support.

California State Care Providers Association: Serving Children - Foster Parents - Adoptions - Guardianship - Kinship

California State Foster Parent Association, Inc.: Offers their members resources and benefits that support the entire family throughout placement and into permanency.

California Youth Connection: Foster youth who identify local issues, learn about the legislative process and then use grassroots and community organizing to create real change in the system.

CDSS Independent Living Program (ILP):  A directory of ILP contacts by county can be found here.  Questions should be directed to your local county contact or email the Transition Age Youth Policy Unit at [email protected]

Child Welfare Information Gateway - National Foster Care & Adoption Directory: Offers contact information for state child welfare officials, programs, organizations, and services with a focus on foster care, permanency, and adoption.  Users can search the directory to find foster care and adoption agencies, support groups, training- and youth-specific associations, state offices, and state-sponsored information lines.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA):  State-wide program committed to providing all abused, neglected and exploited children with a voice in the court process.  There are also county specific CASA programs.

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF):  DREDF Children and Family and Foster Youth for Resources programs provide information and training to parents, caregivers, social workers and others seeking to understand and secure education rights of special needs children.  See DREDF Brochure (pdf) and DREDF Foster Youth Resources for Education flyer (pdf)

Families Rising: Formerly known as the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC).  Families Rising offers information (about AAP) and education for families adopting in California here.

Foster Care to Success: College Funds for Foster Youth:  The only national organization specifically focusing on support, education and workforce development for youth aging out of the foster care system.

Fostering Unity:  Offers crisis support, mentoring, advocacy, training/education, physical and mental health support, information and referrals to resource parents, caregivers, relatives, birth and adoptive parents.

Foster Club: The national network for children and youth in foster care.

Grandfamilies.org: A national legal resource in support of grandfamilies within and outside the child welfare system. Grandfamilies.org has created this California GrandFacts fact sheet that includes a list of organizations and programs currently assisting relatives caring for foster children and youth.

iFoster: Educational, health, recreational, and services for foster youth to support them growing into successful, independent adults. Sign up for iFoster's newsletter to learn about free educational resources they offer, including free laptops for college, cell phones, eye glasses, tutoring, scholarships, and much more!

National Center for Youth Law:  A private, non-profit law office serving the legal needs of children and their families. 

National Foster Parent Association: a respected national voice for Foster, Kinship and Adoptive parents through networking, education and advocacy. Offers many online supports and resources.

National Network for Fostering Sibling Connections:  is a first-of-its-kind national organization dedicated to closing the gap between sibling protection laws and real-world practice.  They have various resources and programs focused on providing training and support on issues important to siblings who have been impacted by the foster care system.

Resiliency Institute for Childhood Adversity (Loma Linda University): provides coordinated medical, mental health, forensic, and long-term support services for children experiencing abuse, offering a safe, trauma-informed space where they can be evaluated, treated, and connected to ongoing care and resources. **Riverside and San Bernardino counties only

Second Nurture: 2N partners with communities, such as synagogues, to provide a space for monthly gatherings as well as a loving, engaged and reliable community of care ready to meet the needs of local foster, fost-adopt, guardian and kinship families. Local Los Angeles cohort meetings available and online.

Students Rising Above: Invests in low-income, first generation college students who have demonstrated a deep commitment to education and strength of character in overcoming tremendous odds of poverty, homelessness, and neglect. 

Think of Us (CA Kinship Navigator Virtual Support Services): for caregivers and "young people" seeking support and clothing/supplies, financial aid, food, childcare, activities, housing, mental health, physical health, education, employment, or legal issues. 

Voice for Adoption (VFA): Develops and advocates for improved adoption policies. Recognized as a national leader in special needs adoption, VFA works closely with federal and state legislators, as well as other child welfare organizations, to make a difference in the lives of the 114,000 children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted and the families who adopt children from foster care.