love never fails

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Love Never Fails What is the ABC Initiative? Agape Black Children and Churches Initiative, inspired by the One Church One Child program which has placed 120,000 children in adoptive homes. ABC Initiative Program Goals: 1. Increase awareness about the need for foster and adoptive homes; - In the Black community - In the general community, with an emphasis on the needs of Black children 2. Take action by training, licensing, certifying, supporting and celebrating resource families and foster family ministries 3. Retain resource families through fellowship events and through effective advocacy with Arizona’s Department of Economic Security and Maricopa County’s Superior Court

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Love Never Fails. What is the ABC Initiative? A gape B lack C hildren and C hurches Initiative , inspired by the One Church One Child program which has placed 120,000 children in adoptive homes. ABC Initiative Program Goals: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsWhat is the ABC Initiative?

Agape Black Children and Churches Initiative,inspired by the One Church One Child program

which has placed 120,000 children in adoptive homes.

ABC Initiative Program Goals:1. Increase awareness about the need for foster and adoptive homes; - In the Black community - In the general community, with an emphasis on the needs of Black children2. Take action by training, licensing, certifying, supporting and celebrating

resource families and foster family ministries3. Retain resource families through fellowship events and through effective

advocacy with Arizona’s Department of Economic Security and Maricopa County’s Superior Court

Page 2: Love Never Fails

Love Never Fails

Fost/Adopt - How Arizona’s System Works

– Resource families are trained and licensed (30 hours) – Call to child abuse report line – Investigation of allegation – Child safety evaluated – Child moved to a foster home – Caseworker assigned to work with birth family and child

Page 3: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsBasic Requirements for

Resource (Foster and Adoptive) Parents

– Be at least 21 years of age– May be single or married– Home must pass a basic life-safety inspection– Must have access to transportation– Must have a telephone or similar means of

communication

Page 4: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsAdditional Requirements

Foster or Adoptive (Resource) Parents

– Dedication and devotion – Dealing with many people – Responding to a child’s challenging needs – Making a difference in a child’s life

Page 5: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsWho Are the Kids in Foster Care?

Page 6: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsWho Are the Kids in Foster Care?

Page 7: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsWho Are the Kids in Foster Care?

Page 8: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsMaricopa County Zip Codes with Most Pressing

Need for Resource (Foster and Adoptive) Parents

85014, 85225, 85040, 85041, 85029, 85204,85021, 85033, 85051, 85015, 85323, 85009,

85017, 85301, 85201

If your home is in one of these zip codes,please call Agape today to find out how you can

make a difference!

Page 9: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsCriteria for Mutual Selection

Successful Foster and Adoptive ParentsMust Be Able To..

1.Know Your Own Family - Assess your individual and family strengths and needs; build on strengths and meet needs

2.Communicate Effectively – Use and develop communication skills needed to foster or adopt

Page 10: Love Never Fails

Criteria for Mutual Selection3.Know the Children – Identify the strengths and

needs of children and youth who have been abused, neglected, abandoned, or emotionally maltreated

4.Build Strengths; Meet Needs – Build on strengths and meet needs of children and youth who are placed with you

Love Never Fails

Page 11: Love Never Fails

Criteria for Mutual Selection5.Work in Partnership – Develop partnerships with

children, birth families, the agency, and the community to develop and carry out plans for permanency

6.Be Loss & Attachment Experts – Help children develop skills to manage loss and attachment

Love Never Fails

Page 12: Love Never Fails

Criteria for Mutual Selection7.Manage Behaviors – Help children manage

behaviors

8.Build Connections – Help children maintain and develop relationships that keep them connected to their pasts

Love Never Fails

Page 13: Love Never Fails

Criteria for Mutual Selection9.Build Self-Esteem – Help children build on

positive self-concept and positive family, cultural and racial identity

10.Assure Health and Safety – Provide a healthy and safe environment for children and youth and keep them free from harm

Love Never Fails

Page 14: Love Never Fails

Criteria for Mutual Selection11.Assess Impact – Assess the ways fostering

and/or adoptive will affect your family

12.Make an Informed Decision – Make an informed decision to foster or adopt

Love Never Fails

Page 15: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsNext Steps for Families

Participate in an orientation meeting

Select a licensing or certification agency

Begin training classes• Agape’s next classes begin soon!

Page 16: Love Never Fails

Love Never FailsNext Steps for Families

EVERYONE IS NOT READY TO BECOME A FOSTER OR ADOPTIVE PARENT. YOU CAN STILL SUPPORT THE FAMILIES THAT ARE “CLOSE TO HOME”!

Find out more about the families at risk in your zip code and how you can help them. Instead of fostering or adopting, you may decide to…

Be a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). CASAs are volunteers from the community who visit assigned foster children and advocate for their best interests inside and outside of the courtroom.

Participate on the Foster Care Review Board (FCRB). These volunteers review the progress of children in the foster care system toward achieving a permanent home and advise the juvenile court on this progress.

Be an advocate. The Children's Action Alliance (CAA) is a strong and independent voice for Arizona's children. Join CAA's advocacy network to stay up to date on policy issues that make a difference to the well-being of children in and out of the foster care system.

Be a donor. A donation to the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF) helps provide opportunities for foster children that include college scholarships, tutoring, athletic memberships and equipment, school activities and more.

Page 17: Love Never Fails

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and

widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

—James 1:27Agape Adoption Agency of Arizona, Inc. is a 501(c)3 Christian Agency that provides

Adoption Certification Foster Care Licensure Parenting ClassesKinship Advocacy Birth Parent Services

For more information, please contact us at:Phone (480) 272-7994 Fax (480) 323-2064

www.agapeaz.org

Love Never Fails