On Tuesday, March 31st, Itedal Shalabi, co-founder of Arab American Family Services, in correlation with the Department of Children and Family Services, will be hosting the first workshop focusing on foster care, entitled Foster Care 101. The event will take place at the Mosque Foundation Youth Center, 7260 W. 93rd St. in Bridgeview. It will kick-off at 6:30 p.m. and run until 9 p.m.
The foster care system is a a temporary arrangement in which adults provide for the care of a child or children whose birthparent is unable to care for them. It is where children go when their parents cannot, for a variety of reasons, care for them. The placement of the child is usually arranged through the government or a social-service agency. In return, the institution, group home or foster parent is compensated for expenses.
In the Arab American community, foster care is not very common. For whatever reasons, it seems that many Arab or Muslim families are not active in taking part in the process of fostering a child or children, who need a temporary home.
Children who are eligible for foster care come in all races and religions. Their parents may have hit a bump in the road and are unable to care for them do to a particular circumstance. The purpose of foster care is to ensure that a child, or children, are cared for, either temporarily, or permanently, in the event that the foster family seeks to adopt the child in the future.
The initiative is to raise awareness for the need for families to become foster home providers. We are asking all community members to please join us for this first time event that will educate the community on the importance of a loving, caring, safe home for children that need it.
For more information, please contact AAFS at (708) 599-2237.
(708) 599-2237
