CPFSA encourages more persons to become foster parents

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Rosalee Gage-Grey, has made an impassioned appeal for more Jamaicans to foster children in state care.

This appeal was made at a recent church service held at the Edgewater Baptist Church in Portmore, St Catherine, to conclude the agency’s 2022 Annual National Foster Care Week celebrated in the second week of February annually.

Themed ‘Fostering Love, Every Child Needs a Family’, a slew of activities were held to mark the week, including church services, community walks and drive-throughs, meetings with organisations, information booth set-ups, media interviews, social media postings, appreciation and training sessions for foster parents. Promotional advertisements and time signals are currently being aired on radio stations, encouraging greater participation in the programme.

Commenting on the National Foster Care Programme, Gage-Grey said she is pleased with the advancements of the programme, highlighting its positive impacts in the lives of vulnerable children.

“The programme serves as a lifeline for many children who are unable to be cared for by their biological relatives. It continues to provide support to address the health, educational and psychosocial needs of approximately 1,183 foster children in 1,005 foster care homes,” Gage-Grey said.

Referring to the partnership between the CPFSA and foster parents, the CEO said that the agency has been blessed with a cadre of committed foster parents islandwide, who go beyond the call of duty to serve our children.

In ensuring the highest quality of care for children, she said the agency remains in close contact with foster families through different associations, including meetings, visits, training workshops and seminars.

She noted further that the relationship between the foster parents and the agency has borne much fruit, evident in the constant accomplishments of our children over the years, adding that the agency is committed to working with foster parents to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.

She also used the occasion to remind foster parents and officers of their roles and responsibilities in caring for children entrusted in their care, emphasising that all have a duty to promote and preserve the rights of children.

The Rev Dr Dylan Toussaint, pastor of the Edgewater Baptist Church, in his message, underscored the importance of good family life and values, as it relates to the well-being of children.

He also lauded the agency for the work being done and urged for continued vigilance in the care and protection of the nation’s children.

“We should not take the work of the CPFSA for granted, in particular, their effort to strengthen families, as it is hoped that those who are without families should be within families. The family is the fabric of society that can bring restoration and stability to the abused, abandoned, orphaned and neglected,” he said.

Foster care is a component of CPFSA’s Living in Family Environment Programme, and is a process that allows non-biological parents to care for children in state care, providing them with a nurturing home environment, while positively contributing to their overall development.

For further information on foster care, persons may contact the CPFSA at 876-948-2841-2; visit any of their parish offices or website at www.childprotection.gov.jm.