Category Archives: Milestones

A History of the Termination of Parental Rights

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The landmark Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 ushered in a series of changes to the foster care system. The law was important for a litany of reasons, but perhaps none more so than giving clarity to the guidelines for the termination of parental rights.

termination of parental rightsPrior to the milestone act, states adhered to the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980. However, most states interpreted this law as requiring biological families be kept together, regardless of most situations.

That meant rather than terminating parental rights and allowing children to become part of new permanent families, many children in foster care spent their entire childhood in state custody, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Continue reading →

5 Things That Came and Went in the 1980s While FAFS Continues On

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Forty-years is a long time. Four decades, full of their own fads, their own entertainment and their own technology have come and gone. Some of these things are remembered as a novelty, others are long forgotten.

But Foster and Adoptive Family Services, which was founded in 1974, continued to grow and provide support, training and advocacy to meet the special needs of foster, adoptive and kinship families in New Jersey before and after these popular ‘80s fads bit the dust.

Here are 5 things that came and went in the 1980s while FAFS continued on. Continue reading →

Five Things from 1974 That Are No Longer Around While FAFS is Still Going Strong

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Parent and Child BondingA lot has changed over the last four decades. The price of milk was around $1.57 per gallon and a dozen eggs were about $0.78. How about only paying $.53 per gallon for gas? With the increase of Sport Utility Vehicles on the road, super low gas prices may be appreciated today more than before. With the ever-changing trends in society, what existed forty years ago can seem like ancient times – although it wasn’t as long ago as it may seem. Here is a quick look back at five things from 1974 that are no longer around. Continue reading →

Foster Care Advocates Partner With State For Improved Services

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Foster Care AdvocatesWhat started off as a partnership between three foster parents grew into a statewide group of foster care advocates.

One of the reasons Foster and Adoptive Family Services (FAFS) has survived and thrived for forty years is our unique perspective as an organization. Some foster care organizations tend to be in conflict with child welfare agencies. FAFS strives to work with our state’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P, formerly DYFS) as foster care advocates to make sure kids in foster care get what they need – including capable and caring foster parents. Continue reading →

NJ Foster Care History Timeline The 1980s

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The 1980s were a time of growth and change that led to many positive developments for New Jersey’s foster families.

“We are proud of New Jersey’s distinction as the national model of partnership between a State child services agency and foster parents. Together we are setting an example for state agencies in recognizing the invaluable contribution that foster parents can have – not only in caring for thousands of children on a daily basis, but also in shaping the quality and diversity of substitute care services for the future.” Nicholas Scalera

NJ Foster Care History Timeline: The 1980s

1983 – Foster and Adoptive Family Services‘ partnership with DYFS as advocates, not adversaries, begins

1983 – NJFPA becomes the first state association to receive state funding for advocacy, in-service training and recruitment of foster homes

1983 – NJFPA receives DYFS policy regarding foster care for review and comment before implementation

1983 – Support Groups for Foster Parents (then known as Volunteer Committees) now in every county in NJ

1983 – Legislation on foster care programs/services amounting to over four million dollars introduced in Senate and Assembly

1983 –  Governor Thomas Kean designates May as Foster Parent Month in NJ

1986 –  Touch A Life (Become a Foster Parent) ad campaign debuts – created for NJFPA from donations of professional service through the NJ Council on Advertising.

1987 –  Liability insurance program for foster parents established

1987 –  Foster Parent support worker position introduced