There are several ways that a person wanting to impact the life of a child in foster care can get involved. 

    1.  Become a Foster Parent. Foster parents care for children in foster care full time. They receive a small monthly stipend for their services. Contact Missouri Alliance for Children and Families for more information at 888-974-7035.

    2. Become a Respite Provider: From time-to-time, foster or adoptive families need someone to temporarily care for their children. Respite care providers may care for children in their home or in the foster or adoptive home of the child. Respite is provided on a 12-24 hour basis. Providers receive a small stipend for their services. Contact your local Children’s Division office for more information.  In St. Louis County call 314-426-8401 and in St. Louis City call 314-340-7536.
     
    3.  Become a CASA Volunteer: Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers work with Juvenile Court staff to ensure that appropriate plans are being made for children. In St. Louis City, contact Voices for Children at 314-552-2120 or St. Louis County CASA at 314-615-4508.
     
    4.  Become a Visiting Resource: Visiting resources spend quality time with children who are placed in residential facilities. Visiting resources provide children an opportunity for family interactions (going to the zoo, spending holidays together, etc.). Contact local residential facilities (Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, Evangelical Children’s Home, Edgewood, Boys and Girls Town of Missouri, Presbyterian Children’s Home, etc.) for details about specific programs.
     
    5. Contact the Foster Adoptive Care Coalition at 314-367-8373 or www.foster-adopt.org to get involved in their Little Wishes program. You can make “wishes” for children in foster care come true.
     
    6. Donate gently used luggage to children for when they need to move. Contact Missouri Alliance for Children and Families for more information at 888-974-7035.  

 

 FOSTER CARE SERVICES 

The Missouri Alliance for Children and Families (MACF) strives to find the least restrictive placement for children.  We have Foster Care and Permanency Units which enable us to meet that need for children in care.  We are able to recruit, train, license and maintain foster parents within our agency.  We provide the training needed to become foster and adoptive parents.  Each family is assigned a Foster Care Development Specialist (FCDS) in which they can turn to for support.  Children enrolled with MACF are referred to the placement specialist in each region.  The placement specialist works to find the foster family that can best meet their needs and provide stability for the child.      

The FCDS meets with the foster family on a quarterly basis in their home to ensure licensing requirements are being met as well as address any needs or concerns that the family may be experiencing.  We also provide on-going in-service training hours for foster parents so that their skills and knowledge continue to grow as they foster.   

MACF also has the ability to train and license kinship/relative providers for children.  If a relative or someone who has an established relationship with the child is located, our agency can provide the training needed for them as well.  Kinship and/or relative providers receive the same support and visits that foster and adoptive parents receive.   

MISSOURI ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
FOSTER CARE PROGRAM

  

MISSOURI ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
ADOPTION PROGRAM

The Missouri Alliance (MACF) serves a broad range of children from ages birth to 21 years. We have found safe, permanent homes for over 500 children, usually through reunification, adoption, or guardianship.   

Who can adopt? Most of the time a person who is interested in adopting one of the waiting children and can give a child loving care is eligible to adopt. Prospective Adoptive parents:   

• Can be single, married, or divorced
• May or may not have birth children
• Must have space to accommodate the child
• Must not have a criminal history that would prevent licensure to adopt  

 Click here for more info