Foster Care
Colorado needs between 500-1,000 additional temporary foster care homes to meet the need in our state. Savio specializes in licensing homes for foster youth and foster children who need a temporary home while it provides services to their biological family. The primary goal is family reunification.
Savio provides a unique level of training and support to foster families and foster children. We have refined the art and science of supporting our foster families, which includes:
Free pre-certification trainings for future foster parents
Holistic counseling and therapy programs for foster youth
Online and in-person foster family support groups
24-hour support line, giving foster families access to our deeply experienced staff at any time.
Throughout your fostering journey, we will support you while you support them!
You can start becoming certified as a foster parent in Colorado today!
Foster Care Agency
Savio is a licensed foster care agency or “child placement agency”. Foster care agencies are licensed by the state to facilitate foster or group care for children in the child welfare system.
There are many benefits to fostering through a local foster care agency. A private foster care agency like Savio places children in foster homes from multiple counties. Savio works closely with Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Douglas, Adams, Boulder, and Broomfield Counties. This increases the chances that we can match families with the foster child or foster youth they are best able to support.
As a private foster family agency, Savio also ensures regular contact and support for foster parents that county departments of human services are not always able to provide. There is no cost for foster parents for this additional support.
We provide two unique foster care programs, designed to provide right services to foster children and youth.
Traditional Foster Care
Traditional foster care supports children who have been removed from their home due to abuse, neglect or delinquency. Some kids in traditional foster care need homes for a few days, while others may need a home for months, or a permanent home.
Treatment Foster Care
Want to be reassured your time and energy will make a real difference in the life of your foster child? Savio’s Treatment Foster Care program helps children 12-18 years of age that have high needs or as an alternative to residential care.
Temporary Foster Care
Some children and youth remain in foster care for youth. At Savio, we specialize in finding temporary homes for children while providing services to stabilize the child’s family home.
Your family can be there for a child in need by becoming certified as a foster home and providing a temporary home. You’ll provide the safety, love, and comfort that all children need, as Savio supports the child’s birth family to ensure long-term safety and stability. Sometimes, time apart can be just the thing that keeps a family together. The family may need days or weeks, and other times it takes months to ensure a safe and stable home. If you are interested in providing safety and stability for a child on a temporary basis, we encourage you to contact us.
Emergency Foster Care Placement
Kids enter in foster care through no fault of their own. In many cases, county caseworkers remove children from their home due to a safety concern and need an emergency, short-term solution. The majority of children enter foster care due to abuse or neglect.
Typically, children and foster youth need to live temporarily outside of their own home while Savio works their parents learn new skills or address the safety concerns. The process of being removed from their home is tremendously unsettling for children. It is important for them to have as much stability as possible by remaining in their school, maintaining contact with family members.
Some foster children only need homes for a few days before they are able to move back home or with a relative. Other children may need a home for a weeks or months. The child’s treatment team – including human service professionals and attorneys – work to find the optimal long-term home for the child. Some children end up needing a new permanent home.
You may be anxious if you are about to receive an emergency foster care placement. We asked Roseanne, a long-term foster care mother with Savio what she’d tell a new foster mother or foster father.
Roseanne’s Things to Remember about Foster Children
They are scared.
They need a safe, calm, and caring home. Something that they have probably never had before.
You just have to show them that you care.
They are just kids.
Fostering Children
We receive a call, every day, about a child that needs a foster home. These children range in age from 0-18 and are different in their backgrounds, needs, strengths, and abilities. What all these foster children have in common is that their life has been turned upside down. Most often, this transition is quick and unexpected.
What foster kids need is a safe, stable, loving home. They may need to stay for just one night, a few days, or even several months at a time.
When you are fostering children through Savio, we will talk to you about your interest in fostering and match you with a foster child. This includes age, gender, medical and mental health needs, and siblings.
“The biggest thing these kids want is love. It’s so hard being in the foster system, bouncing back and forth… and so what they want is to know someone out there is fighting for them and that we love them.”
We are a foster care nonprofit organization
Savio is a treatment and foster care nonprofit organization that identifies safe, stable homes for children, provides training for foster parents, and therapeutic support for children as needed. Originally founded in 1966 as a residential home for boys and has evolved into a foster care organization and in-home treatment provider. Savio’s experience and decades of research show that reunifying families whenever possible creates the best outcomes for children.
Our foster families are an integral part of this, offering the child and family time to heal and grow on the road to being back together again. While offering their foster child love, consistency and care, our foster families often report getting back ten times more in return.
Research shows that in Colorado alone, 500–1,000 additional foster families are needed to meet the needs of kids who require foster care. You can help close this gap while changing the life of a child and the trajectory of a family for generations to come by becoming a foster parent in Colorado.
Foster Care Services
You are not alone when fostering! Savio provides foster care services, resources, and supports for its foster parents in Colorado. These supports can make a huge difference in your experience as a foster parent – and in the experience of the child!
Resources for Foster Parents
Savio helps all its foster families with professional support, including:
Free 24/7 support
Experienced case managers and therapists who have regular contact with you and the child
Regular, ongoing training- free of cost
Therapy for foster parents - free of cost
Connections to foster support groups
Respite care options
Help with holiday presents, back-to-school outfits, event tickets, and more!
Foster parent Support Groups
While Savio provides professional assistance, many foster parents find benefit from connecting with their peers who share their experiences. It is common for them to discuss challenges with kids who have experienced trauma or discuss the mixed emotions that come with seeing your foster child succeed and move back with their family.
Fortunately, former, and current foster parents have formed foster parent support groups within Colorado that allow you to connect and discuss the experiences unique to foster parents. These groups provide valuable foster care support and can serve as great resources for parents. We will gladly connect you with them!
Respite Foster Care
It is normal for all parents to need a break, whether you are raising your biological children or fostering. For foster parents, respite foster care allows you to step away when needed! Your foster children can be placed in short-term respite foster care when you need a break – whether simply to recharge, an extended medical issue, or a personal emergency. Typically, we recommend that foster parents include foster children on your family vacations. Of course, we recognize this may not always be possible – and respite care can assist in this scenario as well.
Savio can arrange for respite care when need, often through another foster home working with the organization. We also can assist by identify respite care from outside agencies. It is important to give as much advance notice as possible to ensure the child is in the best respite situation available.
Interested in providing respite care for foster parents? We will be happy to connect with you to discuss how you can play this critical role!
Financial assistance for foster parents
Raising children is expensive! Fortunately, there are many financial incentives that support foster families. These include a monthly stipend, free health insurance for the child (they do not need to join your private insurance!), free college tuition for foster children, free school lunches, and more. You can also read more about financial support and how much foster parents are paid on our blog.
Contact savio for foster care information
Questions? Ready to get started? Fill out the form below, or contact Rebecca at Rcarpenter@saviohouse.org or 720-530-6071.