Family Builders believes that every child has the right to grow up in a permanent, nurturing family regardless of that child’s age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or medical, physical or emotional condition.
Family Builders’ mission is to:
Family Builders’ goal is that no child will leave the foster care system without a permanent, loving, and caring parent.
Family Builders is welcoming and affirming of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families who wish to adopt children from the foster care system.
Every child deserves a permanent family.
No child is un-adoptable regardless of age, special needs, race/culture, or need for mental health treatment.
We have the obligation to keep the promise of permanency for all children living in the foster care system.
Siblings should remain together.
Race and culture matter. Sexual orientation and gender identity shall be respected.
All children have a right to their history and a right to their previous connections.
First and foremost, permanency efforts should begin with supporting the youth to grow up with his/her family of origin.
No youth should exit the foster care system without a permanent family.
A team of persons makes the best decisions, helping us each face the challenges of our own beliefs and biases.
Adoption is a service for children.
Permanency and adoption services are about taking “risks” because not taking a “risk” may be just as harmful to the child if it results in the lack of a permanent family.
Matching activities should be child-specific.
Adoption and permanency services are hard work; staff need and deserve support and resources.
Permanency for older children and youth shall include other permanent options, beyond adoption, and shall be a youth-driven process.
Family is defined in a broad and inclusive manner regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation or economic status.
Families shall not be charged a fee to adopt a child from the foster care system.
Hours and location of services must be accessible to families and the services should be child-centered and family-focused.
Families shall have any history about the child (which the agency presently has or can realistically obtain) to make an informed decision about adopting the child.
Families will be supported and developed through the process — not screened out.
Adoption and youth permanency is difficult work; families need and require support and resources.
We have an obligation to support families providing permanency, during and after the process.
We advocate for permanency for the least-well-served children and youth, so that permanency may be preserved for all children and youth.
We strive to be on the forefront of best practice, with continual evaluation, improvement, and innovation, promoting best practices for children, youth and families.
