Close to home: Sabrina’s story

The need for more qualified foster care parents hit close to the hearts of everyone at Akers Media Group when Sabrina Ciceri returned as the associate publisher last fall.

Sabrina and her husband, Joe, are juggling careers while caring for three foster children in addition to their three other children.

Sabrina, who was an only child, always wanted a large family.

“At least seven,” she says with a laugh.

She has two biological children, Sierra, 23, and Tristan, 17, and an adopted daughter, Mia, 10. She thought her family was complete until she slowed down and listened to her heart and to God.

“God revealed to me I was now in a position to have a big family,” she says. “I quieted myself enough to hear what He wanted.”

Almost two years ago, she and Joe attended orientation and training classes at Kids Central. They’ve since fostered eight children, including two newborns at one time, and are in the fi nal stages of permanently adopting one of their foster children, Anthony, who will be 2 in June.

The couple’s older children totally embraced the idea of opening their home to foster children. Fifth-grader Mia, who came to the Ciceri home when she was 10 months old, summed it up best: “It didn’t take long (for us) to realize how important fostering was. Our house often has chaos, but we don’t mind because we’re helping other children.”

Kids Central Inc. recognized the couple’s commitment and named Sabrina and Joe 2014 Foster Parents of the Year.

“Sabrina and her husband are stellar examples of what we want foster parents to be,” says Mason. “They believe this is a calling and live it to create a loving environment for these children.”

Teenagers and aging out of the system

Another challenge at Kids Central is placing teenagers, who often bounce from foster home to foster home.

“Being in foster care does make you grow up fast,” says Louis New, a former foster child who now works at Kids Central as an independent living coordinator to help teenagers aging out of the system. “There was no stability in my life.”

From 1991 until 1999, Louis lived in 13 different foster homes, fi rst in New York and then in Florida. When he turned 18, he joined the U.S. Navy and “fi nally found a stable environment.” Now 33, he has two children of his own and a career where he feels like he’s making a difference.

“I know what it is like to be in their shoes,” says New. “I can relate to struggles foster teens are having. I push them to go to school, but I also hold them accountable.”

Nine of his independent living students (children 18 to 22 who are transitioning out of foster care) are in college and another is in her senior year of high school. Teenagers are no longer automatically turned out of the system when they reach 18. Foster care can extend until 22 if the young person is in school, or age 23 if he or she has a medical disability. Those attending a Bright Futures college can get $1,256 a month for college through Florida’s Post Secondary Education Service Support program.

“Independent Living is a benefit other states don’t have,” Louis says. “It works when it’s used right and not as a crutch. It is central to helping these kids become successful.”

Foster parent recruitment

The biggest challenge remains having enough foster parents to take in children and teens who are often caught in inconceivable situations. While many people want to open their homes to help, it’s not as easy as just offering a bed. Florida has strict guidelines for becoming a foster parent and licensing of foster homes. It also takes four to six months to become a foster parent.

“Kids Central holds parents to an even higher standard,” says Moreno-Jones. “They cannot be on unemployment or receive public assistance. They must have the resources to do this.”

Potential foster parents undergo background checks and fi nancial screenings and must attend an orientation followed by 10 weeks of intense training before a child is placed in their care. Home study also continues. They receive a stipend of $17 a day per child to take care of necessities. Florida limits the number of children in foster-care homes to five, with exceptions when siblings are involved.

“There are many myths about being a foster parent,” says Moreno-Jones. “They don’t have to be young, wealthy or a married couple with a stay-athome caregiver. Love, stability and responsibility are what matters most.”

She adds: “Our foster parents are part of a team — a village, so to speak — committed to nurturing a child’s well-being and to strengthening and mentoring the child’s family if and when the child returns to them.”

Coming in March: It Takes a Village — Part 2

Meet Dr. John DeGarmo, a foster parent to more than 40 children over the past 12 years and fostering expert who has authored highly-acclaimed books on the subject.