Foster care has a bad reputation.  You see it in melodramatic movies, breathless descriptions of abuse on the nightly news, and opinion pieces denouncing broken systems. And the foster care system, in New York City and all over the country, is flawed. That’s why Forestdale exists, not to perpetuate the system, or even just to plug its holes, but to transform it, by marrying a traditional approach to foster care with complementary, innovative programs.

The Forestdale Difference: Real Relationships

What makes Forestdale different? From the moment they enter our program until long after they’ve aged-out of foster care, our children have caseworkers who build real relationships with them.  Forestdale’s caseworkers come from a wide variety of backgrounds: Some have MAs and PhDs from nationally renowned social-work programs, others are recruited directly from the communities we serve in Queens, and many are former foster children themselves.

For 500 children, a Life Preserver

For the over 500 children we serve, foster care is a life preserver. It’s used in time of crisis, and as such is necessary and life-saving, but it’s not meant to be permanent. Our goal is to reunite families. If that’s impossible, then adoption is the next option. Around thirty percent of our children are adopted, usually by other family members or their foster parents.

An Imperfect System

This isn’t always possible, of course. Life is imperfect, the system’s imperfect, and we’re imperfect. But for those of our children who have to stay in foster care longer, Forestdale keeps track of them every day, staying in contact with their birth parents, foster parents, teachers, counselors, and community leaders. Our dedicated staff watches their development closely, fighting to get them into the best schools, enrichment activities, and, eventually, colleges.

Our Solution

As with all of Forestdale’s programs, foster care incorporates the twin pillars of  Health Literacy and Education Excellence. Through understanding how to relate to their own bodies, the world around them, and their families, Forestdale children can understand how to break the cycle of dependence and poverty, and forge for themselves an independent life.

Support children in need by helping fund our programs or donating your time.