What does it mean to be a Private Foster Care Agency? When seeking to work with a foster care agency, you may notice you have a choice between working with a private Agency or a state-run agency. Neither choice of foster care agency is inherently better than the other. The agency that best serves your needs as a foster parent and the children in their care, will be the best choice for you and may look different for everyone.
Benchmark Family Services is a private Foster Care Agency
As a private foster care agency we are licensed by the state and work in conjunction with their standards and qualifications. There are multiple ways, however, that working with a private agency like ours, may differ from working with the Department of Human Services.
Specialized Services
One of the biggest distinctions between a public and private foster care agency is our ability to serve a specialized population of children in the foster care system. At Benchmark Family Services we serve and care for therapeutic foster families, children, and teens.
Therapeutic foster parenting is Foster care within a nurturing and loving home combined with therapeutic support based on a child’s needs. There are multiple reasons a child or teen may benefit from therapeutic foster care, but commonly, they have experienced neglect, abuse, Mental or Emotional health concerns, Behavioral issues, Physical disabilities, or Extra medical care is required.
A public foster care agency will serve all types of families, children, and teens but as a private foster care agency we have the ability to target our services for this unique population with our specialized services
Continuous Support and Training For Foster Families
As a private foster care agency we offer the minimum training requirements that qualify you to become a foster parent in addition to a wide range of additional and ongoing training. This includes upfront training that is a part of the certification process and is followed by ongoing training available to you as you actively serve as a therapeutic foster parent.
It is our goal to support and equip the therapeutic foster parents we work with to feel confident in their role and be able to make a difference in the lives they are caring for.
In-Depth Case Management
At Benchmark family services we are a partner alongside the therapeutic foster parents we serve. As a private foster care agency serving therapeutic foster families, we have the bandwidth and responsibility to be sure we are doing everything in our power to do what is best for the children and teens in our care. From coordinating services to financial reimbursement we walk alongside and are actively involved in each family we work with.
Learn More About Private Foster Care
Benchmark Family Services offers private foster care in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky.. We exist to find caring, attentive foster homes for children in need. If you want to know more about working with our agency or becoming a foster parent contact us here!