History

More than fifty years ago, foster and adoptive families across the state came together to advocate for the needs of their children and families.

What began as simple conversations in parent groups, has grown into the Coalition you see today.

The Beginnings of the Coalition: NYSCCC

Incorporated in 1975 as the New York State Citizens Coalition for Children, the Coalition was created to address problems in the state’s child welfare system.  These problems resulted in protracted foster care stays in what was intended to be a temporary system. In reality, those stays became the way of life for thousands of New York’s children. They also resulted in problems for parents who had adopted their children privately and were unable to access needed support services.

The Coalition’s activities to address these problems over history have been focused on:

  • Education and support for foster and adoptive parents and family members raising relative’s children (kinship care), as well as professionals who serve these families and children.
  • Parent Group Development and Support Services.
  • Administrative and Legislative Advocacy.
  • Access to post adoption and post placement support services throughout the state.

Becoming the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York

In 2015, as part of a strategic planning process, we revisited our name. We decided that it was time to make a change — to a name that honors the “Coalition” — the bringing together of parents, professionals and others who care about children in foster and kinship care and those who are adopted — and also clearly expresses our focus. Thus, we transformed into the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York. 

Adding AGAPE and Growing

In 2016, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) launched the Regional Permanency Resource Center initiative.  The Coalition was one of twelve organizations chosen to initiate regional post-adoption and post-guardianship support programs.  It was then that our Adoptive and Guardianship Assistance Program for Everyone (AGAPE) came into being.  

Since then,  AGAPE has grown to serve nineteen counties, one-third of all counties outside of New York City. For the families who desperately need support, and for the children and youth who need and deserve the stability of loving, permanent families, we opened up additional offices in Long Island and Ithaca. The Coalition’s staff grew from one employee under an Executive Director to over twenty!

We continue to build and grow the Coalition’s role and place in New York’s child welfare world. We continued to work; building on existing relationships and considering the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Some Highlights of Our Successful Projects and Endeavors

New York City Foster and Adoptive Parent Manual Initiative 2012

In 2012, the Coalition worked with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services to develop a template for a personalized, agency-specific foster /adoptive parent manual for the city’s foster care agencies. Utilizing funds provided by a contract with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, Casey Family Programs, and the National Center for Child Welfare Excellence, we worked to create a fill-in-the blank manual. This served to provide New York City’s foster care agencies with a cost effective and efficient mechanism in which to create their own personalized manual. The manual contains information about agency-specific policies/procedures on communication, financial issues, training, and other information their families need.

All New York City foster care agencies are welcome and encouraged to utilize the manual template and personalize it for the foster parents they serve. In 2012 we also began working with Catholic Guardian Society & Home Bureau, SCO, St. Dominics, Abbott House, Leake and Watts, Children’s Aid Society, Forestdale and New Alternatives for Children.  To date, Leake and Watts and SCO have finished their manuals and several other agencies are close to completion.

The Coalition strongly encourages New York City foster parents and professionals to inquire about your agency’s progress and/or plans. All New York City foster care agencies are encouraged to consider utilizing this important and cost-effective new tool to provide increased support and information to the families they service. We would be glad to assist you in any way possible. 

Foster/Adoptive Parent Manual Template PDF
Download Word Template for Edit

Statewide Post Adoption Services Survey 2009-2010

More than a decade ago, a vision of statewide post-adoption support services for families and young people came into being at the Coalition.  We made the case with legislators.  We talked with leadership at the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.  When we learned there was no viable data on what services would best support families, we partnered with Cornell University to conduct a statewide survey of adoptive parents. In the winter of 2009/2010, a survey was developed to help determine the post-adoption services needs of families in New York.  The final report, Parents and Professionals Identify Post Adoption Service Needs in New York State, included information on current programs in NYS, research on post-adoption service needs of families, the survey results, and recommendations for future services. This survey remains the only one of its kind in New York. A direct result of the survey was the state’s implementation of Regional Permanency Resource Centers.  

Caregivers Support Project 2007-2009

The Caregivers Support Project was created to offer sustainable support systems to families parenting children with developmental disabilities. A three-year grant from the New York State Developmental Disability Council enabled the Coalition to provide community based organizations with mini grant funds, technical assistance, and on-site training to develop and implement family support projects and services to meet local needs.

“Answering the Call” 2004-2009

From the spring of 2004 to the fall of 2009, the Coalition was pleased to be a partner in the nationwide campaign to recruit adoptive and foster families. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (in collaboration with the Adoption Exchange Association, The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids and the Ad Council) developed the public service advertising campaign. The Coalition served as the Recruitment Response Team for Upstate New York. Our staff answered the nationwide toll free number, responded to inquiries from prospective adoptive and foster families, encouraged families to obtain home studies, and connected them to local parent support networks. The Coalition was pleased to be a part of this important project which contributed to the recruitment and retention of many hundreds of New York State adoptive and foster families during the six years of the service’s existence.

LINK Families 2001-2005

Linking Information Networks for Kids was an AFFCNY project developed in partnership with the Syracuse Salvation Army Adoption Opportunities Concurrent Planning Project from 2001 to 2005. Recognizing that foster/adoptive parents are key resources to helping children understand and cope with the ambiguity related to concurrent planning, the Salvation Army contracted with AFFCNY to develop the necessary training and support systems that would empower foster parents to assist the child. AFFCNY LINK Family activities increased both the availability and viability of parent led foster parent associations in New York State. 

Training and information tools developed during the project included an extensive collection of resources on shared parenting issues and Foster Parents Speak,  a 20 minute video that explores foster parenting today through the experiences and insights of foster families. Foster parents speak candidly about the challenges in developing and nurturing shared parenting relationships with birth families as well as professionals. They share real life techniques and strategies for improving communication and cooperation in order to create partnerships that support children in the foster care system.

Completed Projects at a Glance:

  • Caregivers Support Project: Supporting Families Parenting Children with Developmental Disabilities (2007-2009)
  • The Coalition’s AdoptUsKids Recruitment Response Team (2004-2009)
  • LINK Families: Linking Information Networks for Kids (2001-2005)
  • CoalitioNet: Networking for Adoption (1997-2001) pdf
  • Meeting Children’s Needs in Transracial and Transcultural Adoptive and Foster Families(1997-1998)
  • Adoptive Parent Groups: Leadership for Children and Families (1993-1995)
  • Adoptive Families for Minority Children: Parent Group Recruitment and Support (1991-1992)
  • Parents as Partners:  Serving Special Needs Adoption (1990-1991)
  • Parent Groups “CAN” – Activities included hosting the first annual New York statewide adoption training conference for adoptive and foster parents, caseworkers, administrators, mental health professionals, and advocates. (1989-1990)
  • Developed and implemented the first statewide adoption exchange and model curriculum for training adoption caseworkers in conducting group home studies using adoptive parent casework partners. (1982)

Awards Received Over the Years

  • Angel in Adoption | Congressional Coalition on Adoption (2000)
  • Adoption Excellence Award (Support for Adoptive Families) | United States Department of Health and Human Services (2000)
  • Friend of Adoption | Adoption Resource Network (1998)
  • Child Advocate of the Year | Family Focus (1997)
  • Child Advocate of the Year | North American Council on Adoptable Children (1984)