Before I answer my own question posed in the title of this first blog article allow me to introduce myself. I am Craig Zacuto, M.A., LMFT. I am the executive director and founder of a small foster family agency in Orange County, California called Beta Foster Care. I have worked in the foster care industry since 1983, first as a County Child Protective Services (CPS) Social Worker then later I started Beta Foster Care in 1988. I have had the honor to work closely with foster youth, foster parents (now called Resource Parents in California), our own line staff, County Child Welfare Social Workers, State Licensing Workers, and our many stakeholders ever since. I train our applicant Resource Parents and supervise our staff. And I have designed our program and implemented the case management and counseling services directly.
Our mission as a foster family agency is represented symbolically in our logo unchanged in all of these years. We have a child in a home flanked by adults on either side—all connected—with the child as the center of attention and protection. This is not that unique you may say when looking at similar agency logos some colorful and using more modern drawing images.
However, the themes I have seen in some other foster care blogs appear to be losing sight of what foster care is about. Foster care, that is honored in May as National Foster Care Month, is about the out-of-home care and placement of children. Temporary is the operative word. This blog is about staying focused on how the adults may help the children heal their trauma through many caring healthy relationships. It is to help foster children during their confusing time feel part of a Resource Family and to stay connected to the people they love with pride and dignity.
This blog will also be about how we at Beta Foster Care, here locally in Orange County, provide services to support and empower our Resource Families as caregivers. Our message in context as a small agency is having our families feel heard, respected, and have a voice from day one and through out their foster care placement experience with Beta Foster Care. We want our Resource Parents to know we truly honor them as individuals.
In part this blog is to let the community know we are here. Beta Foster Care exists. So many qualified people are capable of caring for our foster children and do not know where to begin the process to inquire about foster care. I often speak on the phone to prospective Resource Parents that say to me “I did not know until recently your agency existed” and that is sad since we have been in Orange County for decades. We need caring adults to step up now and become Resource Parents. There are so many children and young adults that need foster care placements today while the Juvenile Court is deciding on their future with many unknowns ahead—Family Reunification, Adoption, Guardianship, Transitional Living, all determined on a case-by-case basis. I am here to meet with each interested adult one at a time!
In summary, our blog shall be a positive and encouraging voice about foster care for our readers.