National Foster Care Month, which falls during the month of May, is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau. During this month of recognition, we acknowledge our Foster Care & Adoptions teams across the state, as well as the resource parents (previously called foster parents), policymakers, and other community members who work tirelessly to help the more than 50,000 California youth in foster care find the stable, supportive environment they need to be successful in school, their communities and beyond.
One such resource parent, Bakari, first came to Pacific Clinics more than a decade ago after being hired as a behavioral specialist. In this role, he worked within the Bay Area community to help at-risk and unhoused youth, many of whom were currently or formerly involved in the foster care system, achieve their academic, employment, health, financial, and familial or social relationship goals.
Seeing the immense needs of these youth and inspired by his mother, who also worked with youth and adults who needed extra support, he opted to get approved as a professional parent. This type of resource parent provides a safe, short-term home for youth with higher needs while helping them transition to a permanent placement. Bakari has now been helping youth in this capacity for over two years and enjoys being able to build a bond with each child or teen that comes to stay with him.
“It’s a beautiful thing to see a kid come into your home one way, then watch them develop, mature, and learn to care about themselves and others,” says Bakari.
Learn more about Bakari and our professional parent program:
Learn more about how to become a resource or professional parent with Pacific Clinics.
Donate to Pacific Clinics’ Foster Care & Adoptions Services. (Be sure to put “FCAS” in the comments section.)
