Aspiranet highlights need to keep siblings together in foster care

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sept. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Aspiranet, one of California’s most innovative social services agencies, makes it a priority to keep siblings together while in foster care. The rewards of keeping siblings together are clear: siblings who are placed together adjust better and benefit emotionally by having their siblings near.

“Research shows that when siblings remain together in foster care placement, their likelihood of achieving permanency increases,” explains Diane Warne, Foster Care director for Aspiranet.  “It does not take away all of the feelings of loss, but it lessens the impact and allows children to feel safer, still attached to the brother or sister they love and provides natural support. We feel strongly that no children should have to lose those significant relationships in order to have a family.”

Aspiranet works to educate families about the benefits of keeping siblings together in foster care. According to childwelfare.org, because children in foster care experience more losses of significant relationships, siblings are often their only source for the continuation of important attachments. Studies also show that siblings placed together use their relationships to help them understand who they are. All in all, siblings are a vital source of love and companionship for foster children, and impact the children’s development of identity and self-esteem.

The leading social services agency reports that over the past year, the number one reason they could not find placement for children was due to a lack of families who were able to provide unified family placement.

“The benefits of keeping foster children together under one roof are huge,” Warne said. “When brothers and sisters who have been removed from their homes are allowed to continue living together, they retain a critical sense of family and attain greater success. Our relationships with our siblings are the longest relationships we have in our lifetimes.”  

“We work hand-in-hand with foster parents to ensure positive experiences with life-changing results for everyone,” Warne said. “We understand the support families need through the unique experience of fostering siblings.”

Families interested in learning more about fostering siblings are encouraged to contact Aspiranet at 1-877-350-HERO or visit www.aspiranetheroes.org.

About Aspiranet

Aspiranet, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity, supports foster children, siblings, families and the community with 35 core programs offering specialized services throughout 45 locations within California. Some of Aspiranet’s programs include: treatment foster care, transitional housing, residential care, mental health counseling, family services, inclusion services for children with developmental challenges and therapeutic behavioral services and school based behavioral and educational supports.

Founded 37 years ago as a six-bed group home for young boys in Moss Beach, Calif., Aspiranet is one of the most diverse nonprofit social service agencies in the state. With a statewide network of innovative services, Aspiranet serves more than 10,000 families each year. For more information, please visit www.aspiranet.org.