County has shortage of foster parents

ALL IN THE FAMILY- Troy and Angela Rockwood, featured in the article beginning on page 1, have opened their home to foster and adopted children. According to the Rockwoods, who had both hoped for a large family, their children are the fulfillment of a dream.

People willing to parent children in need temporarily or permanently are being sought by the Ventura County Child and Family Service Department.

"We do not have enough licensed foster homes to take care of these kids," said Elaine Martinez, Human Services program manager.

About 20 to 30 new cases arrive each month, she said. As of December, there were about 250 children in foster care in Ventura County. That doesn't include children placed with relatives or in group homes, Martinez said.The more foster homes available, the more likely a child will be placed in an optimum situation, she said.

Children range from newborns to age 18. Siblings are kept together if possible while work is underway to reunite kids and parents.

Parents have about six months to make progress so they can be reunited with children under 3 years old. They have about 12 to 18 months to get their lives in order so they can be reunited with children over 3. If parents don't improve, their rights can be terminated and the children adopted, if a family is available.

For some children, the waiting period has passed, but there's not yet a family to adopt them.

Others may be living with a relative or someone who gets sick and gives them up for adoption after the waiting period has passed, Martinez said.

"The hardest to place are the schoolchildren and teens," she said.

It takes about one or two months to get licensed, depending on how motivated the potential foster parents are, she said.

There are no fees to be licensed. Foster parents are paid a stipend that ranges from $425 to $597 a month, depending on the child's age, and the stipend continues until the child is 18, Martinez said. Foster children are covered under Medi-Cal, and other programs help with expenses.

- Nancy Needham

Those interested in becoming foster parents or adopting are welcome to attend a

Ventura County foster parent informational

meeting at 9 a.m. Sat., Feb. 17 or at 6 p.m. Thurs., March 15 at Ventura Job and Career

Center, 4601 Telephone Road, Ste. 109,

Ventura, in the Job Club Room. For more information, call (805) 654-3456.