Foster Care Services

Our mission Statement: Haven will always provide hope and a new start to a universal audience through support, truth, advocacy and options.

Haven was founded to create a new standard in the field of adoption, and we bring that same passion, commitment to the truth, and dedication to our families as we begin working in foster care. Our goal is to provide hope and support to everyone we work with. Haven believes in the importance of permanency and fostering lifelong placements for children. We have a small but highly experienced staff, who have over 30 years of combined experience in the field of adoption. Our staff has worked in all aspects of adoption throughout the state of Pennsylvania. We are currently working with foster families in Bucks and Montgomery counties. Haven believes in a personalized approach, in the education and training of our foster families, and in providing full support to our foster families.

Foster Care Families  – Orientation and Training for Foster Families will be provided. Haven takes great pride in educating prospective foster care and adoptive families about their options.  Haven will help and assist all prospective foster care families in creating a detailed Family Profile that will include an analysis of the family’s strengths, the trainings they have attended, and the type of child(ren) they can properly care for. Before submitting a formal application to become a potential foster care family, individuals are required to attend one information session on foster care in Pennsylvania. This session is to cover any basic questions about foster care, to encourage potential parents to consider what type of child they would be a good fit for and to support potential foster parents as they decide what is best for their family.

Haven requires potential foster families to attend a mandatory training covering all applicable statutes, regulations and Haven’s philosophy.

– Home Study Approval is a screening process of the background and lives of foster care parent(s) and an evaluation of the home.  The home study is essential to all foster care placements and must be completed prior to a placement.  Foster care families will receive an annual visit and inspection from Haven to evaluate the condition of the home, the well being of the child and the overall health and safety of the family.

Haven will maintain detailed notes on contact and conversations between the Haven staff and the potential foster care family, assessing for readiness, capability and desire to provide foster care. Foster care families will be assessed using the guideline provided in Chapter 3700. To be approved through the home study, a potential foster care family will have:

• attended orientation and information sessions required by Haven
• completed a formal foster care application for Haven
• participated annually in a minimum of 6 hours of agency approved training. This can be through online trainings through SWAN, outside trainings, attending a SWAN conference or by attending Haven’s annual foster parent retreat. This retreat is a service provided to Haven foster families as a way to provide continued support and education, and to serve as a way for families to build a community for their children.
• met the foster parent age requirements (21 years old)
• obtained the necessary clearances for all foster parents and adults in the home and other supporting documents
• obtained reference letters of friends and/or family who can attest to the foster care parent(s) character and ability to provide care
• obtained medical reports to deem the foster care parent(s) are physically capable of caring for a child and are free of communicable diseases
• ensured ability to provide for the financial well being of any child placed in their care
• received a visit from a case manager to the family residence to interview the family, conduct a safety inspection of the home, and answer questions. Foster families must be able to identify the area where the child will sleep and ensure that the child will have his/her basic needs met.
• received a written report by the case manager and submitted to the necessary court upon request

–    Matching Process is a dual process to prepare both potential foster care families as well as hopeful foster care children for placement with the hope of permanency. Haven will work with community and government agencies to assist in the placement of children in need of a foster care home with our pre-approved foster care families.

Potential foster families will be presented with a Child Profile- detailing the child’s health, developmental, social and psychological well-being, as well as any information known about the child’s birth family’s history. Foster families will also be provided as much information as possible about the details leading to a foster placement or adoption.

Under the guidance and discretion of the agency and/or agencies involved, a family profile will be shared with the biological parent(s). Haven Staff will coordinate with all agencies involved in the placement of the child to ensure a successful match with the goal of permanency for the child. Haven Adoptions will create a written document outlining how a particular foster child will fit into a family’s life. Specifically, this document will outline any care needs that the child has, the medical or psychological follow-up that the family will be providing and a timeline of when services will occur. This family plan will be informed primarily by the agency placing the child into foster care with a Haven family.

• Post Placement Services is the completion of the required number of follow up visits after a child(ren) has been placed in the foster care parent(s) home. This includes the medical reports from the child(ren)’s pediatrician, adjustment of family, developmental and medical progress of the child(ren) and overall well-being of the child(ren) and placement. Haven will provide additional support services, including the facilitation of communication between foster families and biological families, support to all parties involved and an ongoing assessment of the match. It is the goal of the Haven staff to work with families to create a realistic plan for their growing family.
• Client Casework is a service offered by Haven Adoptions Inc. involving direct contact between the case manager and the foster care parent or family being helped. The case manager will guide the foster care family to make the proper choices that will benefit the family and future child(ren) during the entire foster care process.  From the time the family begins working with Haven Adoptions Inc., through completion of services, the case manager is there to provide full support for any and all needs of the foster care family.  While the client case manager will provide emotional support throughout the foster care process, if further support or counseling is necessary, an appropriate counselor in their general location will be recommended.  Additionally, each foster family will be given an emergency telephone number which they can use to contact Haven 24 hours a day. Haven will also provide the foster family with any information from the case record which is necessary for the well being and safety of the child and the foster family.
  • A Haven case manager will introduce all foster care regulations regarding health care of children during our mandatory orientation and training. Haven foster families are required to submit copies of medical documentation that each foster child in their care has received proper medical care to their case manager for review. Each Haven foster care family will receive a detailed checklist of health care requirements that will be reviewed as part of the home study process and during post placement visits.
  • Haven has a zero tolerance policy regarding corporal punishment. This is covered in our mandatory training and also a condition for home study approval. The client case manager will provide and review Haven’s discipline policy with every foster family (compliant with the Pennsylvania state regulations on the discipline of children).
• Coordination of Legal Services is a collaborative effort of Haven staff to coordinate potential legal counsel necessary in foster care placement and/or finalizing an adoption.
• Office Support and Mailings is a key component to the foster care process. Administrative assistant(s) are responsible for, but not limited to: answering phones, copying, filing, data entry, faxing, scanning and mailings.
• Notary service is required for various documents throughout the foster care process. Haven has a notary on staff to be able to help with all these needs.  A notarized agent is used at hospitals, consent signings and for other various documents throughout the process.

Additional Training of six hours a year will be provided to all families. Additionally, all families will have the option to join a private Facebook group to form an additional community of support. Haven Adoptions will also host an annual get-together for all foster families as means of promoting a community.