Children's Aid Society of Mercer County

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As  we observe 130 years of providing uninterrupted services to children  and families, we celebrate. We celebrate the 18-year-old young woman who  found her forever family through our Creating Foundations mentoring  program. We celebrate the adoptive families who are receiving countless  hours of support and advocacy through Children’s Aid Society’s SWAN Post Permanency services. We celebrate the children who remain in their family home  because of the intensive therapy provided to the family through Family Focus,  our family based mental health program. We celebrate the families who  leave our support groups with an increased awareness that they are not  alone in their challenges in parenting. We celebrate the children who  are lovingly cared for, who are learning new skills and who are making  lifelong friendships during their stay at our Keystone Stars 4 Star Jumpstart day care. We celebrate the individuals that are actively working  towards self-sustainability and becoming better parents as a result  their participation in Parenting, Life Skills and Anger Management  classes through our Family Life Program.  We celebrate the families that provide loving and safe environments for children placed in their homes through our Foster Care program. We celebrate the hundreds of children that we help understand  where they came from, who they are and where they are going through SWAN Child Preparation services. We celebrate the teens that experience a sense of normalcy  and acceptance from their peers when they attend the monthly Teen Group. We celebrate the children who are now safely tucked into a new car seat through our affiliation with the Safe Kids program. We celebrate all of our funding sources who continue to  believe that we are making a difference in the community. We celebrate  all of our collaborations with numerous agencies and organizations as  together, we will make a difference. We celebrate all who donate, in all ways, to our  agency so that we can continue to “go the extra mile” for the children  and families whom we serve. We celebrate our dedicated staff who  tirelessly work to help improve the lives of children and families. We  celebrate all the children, families and agency staff who have gone  before us and paved the way so that we can continue to make a  difference.  There is so much to celebrate every day in so many ways. We  celebrate!!

Deborah Judy

Executive Director

When the term Foster Care is heard, the next word that often comes to mind are young children . Although this is a normal thought process, it’s not a sensible one. Right now, in Pennsylvania alone there are over 13,000 children in foster care with more than 8,000 being over the age of 13. 

So, what happens what those 8,000 young adults are forgotten about? Most likely, they will fall to a life of incarceration and poverty without the resources and reliability that a foster home setting provides. Fostering teens provides benefits for both the teen and the parents.

Teens are more self-sufficient when fostering than a smaller child. They are able to get themselves dressed, make their own lunch, and get ready for bed without the assistance of the parent all while knowing that you are there just in case they do need you. Although this is a plus for the parent, it also shows the teen what a typical day in a family setting might be like. This can make them want to strive for their own families and successes one day. 

Teens are much more understanding of the situation that they are in. When fostering younger children, it can sometimes be a challenge because of the different traumas that kids face at such a young age. The younger the child, the harder it is to comprehend why kids may be away from their birth parents for an indefinite amount of time. 

By providing love, encouragement and support to teens who are in foster care, you could stop the lifelong fight of poverty and incarceration that most of these kids are succumbed to. There are so many kids that could use YOUR help! 

If you have thought about fostering, we encourage you to think about the benefits that come from fostering a teen. If you have room in your heart and space in your home, please contact us today!