In alignment with the State of California, we identify individuals and families caring for children in foster care as Resource Parents or Resource Families, and no longer use the terms Foster Parents or Foster Families. At Angels, we believe this better defines their important role in providing safe, stable, and loving care to the children they welcome into their home, as well the role they serve in supporting that child’s return to their parent(s). The primary goal for every child in foster care is to return to the home of their parents and or family relatives as soon as it is determined by the County of San Diego and the Juvenile Court to be safe, appropriate, and healthy for the child.

Resource Parents/Families are critical to assisting the child(ren) in their care mitigate and/or overcome the trauma (e.g., neglect & abuse) they have experienced which caused them to enter foster care. Furthermore, and just as important, is providing support, when possible, to the child’s parents and family.

The State of California officially adopted the terms Resource Parents and Resource Families in January of 2017, and in addition to our definition, refers to everyone who fosters or adopts as well as other types of out-of-home caregivers. This change was made to combine all caregivers under a single umbrella as well as to streamline the application process for becoming approved to foster and adopt children. All caregivers (Resource Parents, Resource Families, Relatives, Kinship, Non-Relative Extended Family Members (NREFM)) all now follow the same process and requirements.

For more information please visit: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/resource-families