The Foster Care program for individuals with developmental disabilities is for children in foster care, ages 0 to 18 years, who have been diagnosed with a developmental disability. Developmental disabilities are characterized as having one or a component of the five primary disabilities: Intellectual Disability, Epilepsy, Down Syndrome, Autism or Cerebral Palsy. Children with developmental disabilities commonly experience delays and limitations in learning, language, self-care, mobility and independent functioning.
Children in foster care with a developmental disabilities are placed with families who are licensed as Child Developmental Homes. These homes provide a specialized level of foster care, requiring advanced training provided by AASK to ensure expert care for the children and their developmental care needs. These children require extra assistance with daily living skills, supervision and foster parents who are committed to supporting their developmental needs and growth.
AASK’s Foster Care program for children with complex medical needs is for children in foster care who are age 0 to 5 years and have significant medical, physical or developmental needs. Our program specifically serves medically fragile infants and children who have disabilities such as substance exposure, genetic defects, chromosomal disorders, failure to thrive, feeding issues and respiratory complications due to premature birth.
Because these foster children have specialized medical needs, foster parents need to provide round-the-clock care and supervision. Foster parents are required to have medical knowledge, education and experience in caring for children with physical disabilities, who are born premature, have birth defects or who are born substance exposed. AASK's training provides the knowledge and skills foster parents need to provide this specialized care. In addition, AASK has a registered nurse on staff who works with the family specialist to provide support, education and resources to the foster families caring for children with special medical needs.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent for a child with special medical needs, please take the next steps to learn more about how you can help a child in foster care.