The University of South Carolina Upstate Child Protection Training Center in collaboration with the Department of Social Services will hold the first in a series of recruitment events for individuals who are interested in becoming foster or adoptive families at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28 at the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics.

USC Upstate’s training center received a $69,875 grant from DSS and was one of six universities chosen to help address the need for foster care and adoptive parents across the state. USC Upstate’s training center will use the grant to further its mission of addressing the critical needs of children in the Upstate. DSS reports a tremendous need for foster homes and adoptive families across the state.

“Currently, there is one available foster home in the Upstate for every three children in need,” Director of the USC Upstate Child Protection and Training Center Jennifer Parker said. “Most of the children from the Upstate are placed in foster homes outside of the county they are from – away from their families, schools and community. By collaborating with DSS on recruitment events, we will expand the number of homes in our community and decrease the number of out of county foster home placements.”

Following an open house for the Child Advocacy Center’s Child Protection and Training Center (more information) on April 28, guests and community members are invited to learn more about becoming a foster and/or adoptive family to a child in need in the Upstate. A representative from DSS will be available to answer any questions from potential families.

Currently, four additional recruitment events are planned across the Upstate. An additional 10-15 events will be planned and held throughout the year. For more information on how to become a foster and/or adoptive family, please visit http://www.scfamilies.org/.

For more information contact Jennifer Parker at (864) 503-5761 or jparker@uscupstate.edu.

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