What is a Foster Family Agency?
County placement agencies often place foster children in homes certified by Foster Family Agencies (FFAs). FFAs are organized and operated on a non-profit basis and are engaged in the following activities: recruiting, certifying, and training foster parents, providing professional support to foster parents, and finding homes or other temporary or permanent placements for children who require more intensive care. FFAs in California follow state and local licensing regulations and must be accredited by an external accreditation association.
Resource families who become certified to foster children through FFAs receive additional funding, support, and case management for the children placed in their home than they may receive from county placement alone. FFA social workers advocate for needs-based services for the child and family, and collaborate with the existing team for the foster child, which may include the foster parents, biological parents, county social worker, mental health providers, Court-Appointed Special Advocates, support counselors, and more.
