Foster Care, Kinship Care
& Adoption
Nearly 1,000 children in Erie County are in Foster Care. You can help! Children of all ages need loving families and supportive homes during this critical time in their young lives.
Click here for our brochure
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At Gateway Longview we offer comprehensive Foster Care & Adoption Services to support families throughout Erie County. We work to match children in care with safe, nurturing foster home environments where they are set up to thrive.
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Speak with a member of our team!
Call 716.783.2909 today and speak with a member of our staff, many of whom are also foster and adoptive parents themselves.
Hear from one of our families!
Watch our interview with Anita, and learn how she became a Gateway Longview Adoptive Mom and Kinship Family.
2. Attend an Orientation
During orientation, we will give you an overview of foster care, our program, and answer questions you may have. Group orientation meetings are monthly. Individual meetings can be arranged as needed.
Attend an Orientation
3. Paperwork
We will need: an application, copies of your financial information and medical reports completed by your physician. All adults (18+) in your home must be fingerprinted, provide local police clearances, and be cleared through the State Central Registrar for Abuse & Neglect.
Paperwork
4. Attend trainings
Classes are designed to help you prepare for foster/adoptive parenting. You’ll learn about your rights and responsibilities, as well as the challenges and rewards.
Attend Trainings
6. Review Panel
Your Homefinder will present your family to the panel and the panel will make a decision regarding the appropriateness of certification. Sometimes, a family is asked to come in and join the panel to clarify any questions. This also gives the team an opportunity to meet you!
Review Panel
Home study
5. Home study
You & your Home finder will identify and explore your personal history, background, lifestyle, child caring experiences, the types of children you feel would best fit into your home, as well as identifying your strengths and skills in meeting the children’s needs.
8. Child Placement
Once certified, you are eligible to receive referral calls! If the match is right, the child(ren) will come to stay with you (either short-term or long-term).
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Before a placement, the Intake Coordinator will give you information that will help you provide the best care for the child.
Child Placement
7. Become a Certified Parent
This means that you are now eligible to receive referrals and to care for foster children in your home!
NOTE: Re-certification must be completed yearly.
Become a Certified
Resource Parent!
Interested in becoming a Foster Family?
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Do you love children and have a good sense of humor?
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Do you enjoy celebrating small victories?
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Do you have a desire to learn – are you able to attend trainings and do you welcome feedback?
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Do you consider yourself flexible and open-minded?
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Are you organized and open to completing and submitting paperwork?
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Do you like being part of a team?
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Do you keep commitments and see things through?
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Do you have the ability to empathize?
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Do you recognize your stress and have healthy ways to manage it?
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Do you have a strong support system that encourages your interest in foster care/adoption?
If you answered YES to any of the above questions, we want to hear from you! Call 716.783.2909 to talk directly with one of our staff members, many of whom are also foster and adoptive parents themselves.
What is
Kinship Care?
Gateway-Longview's Foster Care and Adoption team provides resources, education, and support to kinship caregivers who are interested in becoming certified foster parents for the children in their care.
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To learn more please call 716.783.2909
Children in foster care are waiting for their special champion
Suggested Pages...
Approach To Care
At Gateway Longview, we believe that a solution-focused, trauma-informed care approach has the ability to strengthen the knowledge, competencies, skill sets, and engagement as we work with individuals impacted by trauma. We ensure that all services are client driven with access to early screening and comprehensive assessments.