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Levels Of Care

At KidsPeace foster care, we believe the first placement is the best placement, which is why we take such care to match children with foster families who are best able to meet their needs. There are different levels of care in many of our KidsPeace foster care locations, and varying lengths of stay for different placement situations.

Kinship Care

Situations that lead to a child’s need for out-of-home care can have a significant impact on the child; for those who can’t remain safely in their environment, staying with family or friends who are known to them can be less overwhelming and traumatizing in an already stressful situation.

What is Kinship Foster Care?

Kinship care is often considered the least restrictive level in out-of-home placements. A Kinship caregiver completes an expedited licensing or approval process while the adjudicated dependent child resides in the home.  At the conclusion of the home study, the kinship caregiver and their home environment must meet the state’s minimum regulatory requirements for general foster family (AKA Resource Family) approval.   

Kinship caregivers who meet requirements to become a Resource Family at KidsPeace are provided with specialized training, ongoing resources in the home and community, and support in their homes in order to best meet those needs.

Traditional Foster Care

When kinship resources are not an option for children needing out-of-home care, Traditional care offers youth the opportunity to reside in a family setting. The need for more intensive community based services is generally not necessary. Keeping children in or close to their home community is ideal.  Our goal at KidsPeace foster care is to have as many families available to foster as possible, so that we’re able to meet the needs of the children referred locally for out of home care

What is Traditional Foster Care?

Traditional foster care is the first level of foster care for children who are not able to remain at home because of unsafe parenting or home environments. Reuniting children with families is a primary focus of the care team, and there are frequent visitations scheduled between the child and their family during this time, often at a neutral location.  

Sibling groups and younger children are commonly referred to this level of care while their parents focus on resolving the issues that led to the foster care placement. 

Sometimes, it’s determined that children in traditional foster care cannot return home after all, and the Resource parents may be given first consideration as a permanent resource.

Therapeutic Foster Care

It is not uncommon for children who have experienced or witnessed physical, emotional or psychological abuse to experience trauma related responses even after they are removed from dangerous situations. Therapeutic foster care serves children with complex needs with an array of interventions. Therapeutic foster parents are considered essential members of our treatment teams. 

What is Therapeutic Foster Care?

Children who benefit from Therapeutic Foster Care have endured trauma and are in need of supports such as counseling and/or medication to help them heal while in safe, nurturing foster homes. Our therapeutic foster care program trains qualified foster parents to understand and help change these challenging behaviors so the youth can grow and thrive. We all work closely with local social services to ensure safety, well-being and permanency for our children. There is 24-hour on-call support, and placements can also be made around the clock.

Respite Care

There are times when any parent needs a break, and foster parents are no exception.  Respite care offers planned substitute care that can benefit all who are involved.  Whether it’s for a much needed break from parenting, or substitute care because of an unexpected family emergency, Respite parents offer a safe and supportive temporary home to the child in out-of-home care. 

What is Respite Care?

Respite care, usually offered for a weekend, involves caring for a child who’s in an out-of-home situation when the Resource family needs substitute care for the child. Respite parents must meet all home study and training requirements. Some families start out providing respite care to determine if foster parenting is right for their household.  

Adoption & Permanency

The goal at KidsPeace foster care is always to achieve permanency for our children. Sometimes that means children are reunited with their biological families. But other times, parental rights are terminated, and the children need to find new homes through adoption. Adoption prevents youth from languishing in the foster care system until they are adults. KidsPeace foster care offices work with state agencies to ensure all adoption studies and required documentation are completed in a timely manner. KidsPeace foster care also continues to support the families who have adopted their foster children. Additionally, in Pennsylvania, KidsPeace helps families pursue in-state and/or international adoption, including private adoption home studies.

Children Served

KidsPeace Foster Care programs serve males and females from birth to age 21. In addition to meeting basic needs, services might address social and emotional difficulties, medical issues, developmental delays, learning problems, psychological and psychiatric issues, and behavioral challenges. In some locations, we offer specialized services for medically fragile youth or pregnant teenage mothers who need foster care for themselves and their babies.

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