Enriching the Lives of Children in Colorado
Griffith Centers Foster Care is an inclusive, trauma-informed non-profit that licenses foster and foster-to-adopt families throughout Colorado.
Griffith Centers offers foster care services with offices in Denver and Colorado Springs, a trusted agency that has served and strengthened Colorado families for nearly 100 years. Reach out to us today to learn how you can make a difference in the life of a child by providing them the safe and loving home they deserve.
THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR FOSTER PARENTS IN COLORADO.
We are looking for caring and dedicated people who are interested in Foster Care throughout Colorado, who love spending time enriching the lives of children, giving back to the community, and are ready to make a difference in the lives of our youth.
Whether you want to become a foster or foster-to-adopt parent, we would like to help you get certified.
Why Choose Us?
Individualized Support
As a smaller foster care agency, we can provide more focused, responsive, and individualized attention.
Costs Covered at Griffith Centers
We cover all associated costs of training, background checks, and home studies.
Inclusive and Supportive
We are not religiously affiliated and don’t discriminate on age, race, gender, religion, marital status, or sexual orientation.
Longevity
We have served children and supported Colorado’s families for nearly 100 years.
Consistency
Our staff have decades of experience in a field where there is typically enormous turn-over.
Connective Services
We provide training in trauma-informed care, which is proven to improve outcomes for children.
Children in Foster Care, Nationwide FY2021
Reunified with Parent(s) or Primary Caretaker, Nationwide FY2021
Children in Foster Care, Colorado FY2020
SOURCE: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) FY 2021 data²
Why are children placed in foster care?
There are several reasons nationwide that are a root cause of children needing removal from their homes. The statistics below are sourced from AFCARS FY2021 Data.
63% Neglect
36% Drug Abuse (Parent)
14% Caretaker Inability to Cope
12% Physical Abuse
9% Housing
7% Child Behavior Problem
6% Alcohol Abuse (Parent)
5% Abandonment
4% Sexual Abuse
2% Child Abuse
2% Drug Abuse (Child)
1% Parent Death
1% Relinquishment
0% Alcohol Abuse (Child)
We work closely with foster parents to assure safety and security for the children in need of placement across Colorado.
How to Become a Foster or Foster-to-Adopt Parent
We license quality, energetic, safe, and loving foster families that really care about foster children.
Our Core classes teach new foster parents about foster care, licensing requirements, and how they can help a foster child heal from trauma, abuse, and neglect.
We understand that starting the process of becoming a foster parent might feel daunting and overwhelming, which is why we here at Griffith Centers are here to help you every step of the way!
Individuals or couples who are interested in becoming foster parents must meet state requirements for foster licensure, including but not limited to:
- Own or rent place of residance
- Single, married, or unmarried partners
- At least 21 years of age
- Have a stable income
- Have separate living space in your home for a youth
Step 1: Applications & Checks
Complete initial application, background check, fingerprinting, and physical with your doctor.
Step 2:
In-Person Meeting
Meet in your home with Griffith Centers staff to discuss an individualized plan to become licensed and get questions answered.
Step 3:
Trainings
Complete a total of 12 hours of CORE training (2 sessions). In addition, complete First Aid & CPR certification.
Step 4:
Home Study
Griffith Centers staff will complete a home inspection and several interviews with everyone living in the home. This will be used to create a profile of your home to better match children with your environment of care.
Foster Care FAQ
Yes. Foster parents can be single, divorced, or widowed. You must be over age 21 to qualify in most states. GCC also welcomes unmarried partners wanting to foster.
There is no monetary cost for training in most locations, however a fee for CPR/First Aid training is sometimes required. The investment primarily involves your time and emotional commitment. Some online training classes are offered in most locations.
No. As long as you have space for a foster child, you can qualify.
Griffith Centers conducts informational sessions outlining the foster care licensing process. Following the initial session, adults wishing to proceed will receive training on topics including support systems, trauma, safety, and behavior management.
As a foster parent, you are responsible for ensuring children in your care receive medical attention and treatment when needed. Medicaid covers all foster youth medical costs.
Although no child is the same, we typically work with children who are:
- Between the ages of 0-18 years old
- Scared of coming into a stranger’s home
- From all different backgrounds, ethnicity, and religions
- Recovering from trauma due to abuse and/or neglect
- Grieving due to being apart from their family and family members
- Maybe in your home for a day up to a year
- Experiencing their first placement
- Coming to you after having been in multiple placements
- In need of a safe place to stay until able to return home or find placement with relatives
- By themselves or coming with siblings
- Coming with nothing or with everything they own
The answer is yes, however, if your main goal is to adopt a baby or very young child, you may want to look towards a private adoption or look at adopting older children or children with special needs. The priority in foster care is to work towards the goal of reunification with their biological parents or with other family members. If the child/children cannot be reunited with their parents or placed with a family member, then the foster parents for that child/children will be asked if they would like to adopt. Foster-to-adopt parents may have multiple placements go through their home before the right children become available for them to adopt.
Interested in our Foster Care Services? Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
We also help serve communities around the state through additional services such as:
- Community-Based Programs
- Truancy Programs
- Therapy
- Supervised Family Time
- Family Preservation
- We support our foster parents by providing access to some of these programs should they need support while having children placed in their care.
- 24/7 Support Services and On-call
- We cover the costs to get you licensed! Outside of co-pays for you and your family’s required physicals, we take care of the rest and provide all of the necessary training requirements.
- A caring and experienced team of staff members with over 60 years of combined experience in the Child Welfare system on various levels.