COUNTY OF ORANGE
About Us
We are the County of Orange
Social Services Agency (SSA)
SSA’s Children and Family Services Division provides services designed to protect children from abuse and neglect as well as offer assistance to at-risk families.
Our Mission
Partner with families to ensure their children live in safe, nurturing and permanent homes.
The Need
Currently, there are over 2,000 children in Orange County who cannot safely live with their birth parents due to abuse or neglect. These children need to be with a safe, stable and loving family; sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently.
The children and youth served in Orange County range in age from infants to young adults and represent diverse ethnicities and cultures. Many children have brothers and sisters and would benefit from continuing to live in the same home together.
Children with Behavioral Issues
These children need therapeutic support in addition to quality parenting due to the extreme trauma they experienced.
Children with Medical Needs
These children need loving parents committed to caring and supporting them with their special medical needs. Specialized training and support are available to resource parents.
Non-Minor Dependents
These youth, 18 to 21, are working towards a career or educational goal and need a home as they achieve their current ambitions.
Brothers and Sisters
Brothers and sisters thrive when they are together. Resource parents are needed to help foster these connections and alleviate the children’s emotional pain and trauma.
Teens
Teens in out-of-home care benefit from resource parents who help support their unique needs, provide healthy boundaries and build positive relationships.
Continuum of Care Reform
This is How Orange County Fosters Together
The goal for all of our children and youth in care is for them to have the opportunity to grow into self-sufficient, successful adults. As a resource parent, you have the ability to help ensure our children and youth meet that goal. The Continuum of Care Reform focuses on increasing family-based care as well as increasing services and support for both our children and resource parents. Through strategic, collaborative partnerships with the community, support services are available to strengthen families and promote healthy, positive outcomes for our children and youth. Together, we are creating a strong community where resource parents are empowered and equipped to care for brothers and sisters, teens and children with medical and behavioral challenges. Together, we are fostering our future.
