Tacoma Youth for Christ Foster Care is a private agency licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in Washington State to provide temporary or permanent out of home care for children and youth, ages 0-18 years. Overall, our mission is to serve the State of Washington by recruiting, training, certifying, and supporting Christian families to serve children in the foster care system…..whether if it is for one night or permanently providing a family for them. These children have been removed from their families due to sexual/physical abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Youth for Christ role is to certify families to provide foster care services by taking them through the licensing standards set by DSHS. Youth for Christ screens, trains, and provides a licensing home study on each family. After the family is licensed, Youth for Christ works closely with the Department of Social and Health Services in placing children. Youth for Christ only places children under the jurisdiction of the State of Washington. After placing children, Youth for Christ contracts with the Department for case management services including: 90 day health and safety visits to the foster home, supervision of the visits between birth families and their children, and monitoring the children’s progress in school, counseling, and the foster home. Our case managers arrange respite and provide supportive services to the foster families and participate on the team that make final recommendations as to whether children return home, move to a relative, or are adopted. In addition, Youth for Christ’s desire is to provide support for foster families, provide case management services to the children while in foster care, and to help support the biological parents whose children are placed into our program. Youth for Christ believes that foster parents are undertaking a very challenging task when they enter the foster care system and, therefore, deserve a high level of support. Youth for Christ also provides our foster families opportunities to meet and interact with each other through trainings and support groups. Our staff provides a monthly support group including a catered meal and free childcare which has proven to be an important time for families as they are able to share similar challenges and successes.