Wrap Around Care – Wrap Around Care is simply defined by wrapping around a family who has taken in an orphaned or vulnerable child who is at risk of becoming an orphan and offering support in a variety of different ways to meet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the family.
Orphan – An orphan is defined as a child under 18 years of age whose mother and/or father are no longer able to care of them. This could be because the child’s mother and/or father have died, abandoned them, given away their parental rights to the child, or because their parental rights have been taken away by a court.
Vulnerable Children – A vulnerable child is defined as a child under 18 years of age who is currently at a high risk of lacking adequate care and/or protection. This might be a child of a single parent, a child living in poverty, a child with a disability, one’s who parents have abandoned them, etc.
Adopt – to bring someone into a relationship voluntarily. An example of this would be a family who has voluntarily taken a child who is not biologically theirs into their home as their own child.
Adoptive Child – A child who has been permanently taken in by parents who are not biologically theirs and given a forever family.
Adoptive Parent – A couple who has taken in a child who is not biologically theirs and given them a forever family.
Foster – This is the act of taking in a child who is not biologically yours and caring for the child while their biological parents or other family members cannot do so.
Foster Child – A child who is temporarily being cared for by someone who is not biologically their parent until the child can be reunified with their biological parent or adopted.
Foster Parent – An adult who cares for a child that is not biologically theirs for a period of time until the child can be reunified with their biological parents or other biological family members.
Forever Family – This is a family who takes in a child who has lost one or both of their biological parents and adopts them into their family while committing to care for the child and give them a family for the rest of their life.
CPS – This stands for the Child Protective Agency. This is a government run agency that responds to reports of child abuse and neglect. CPS monitors the well-being and safety of children through intervention in cases of abuse or neglect.
CASA Worker – CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA workers voluntarily invest their time, energy, and heart into the lives of children who are being monitored by CPS. You can find more information about the roll of a CASA worked at http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.6350721/k.112A/What_Does_It_Mean_To_Be_a_CASA_Volunteer.htm
Attorney Ad Litem – This is the term used for a court appointed person who acts on behalf of a child who is unable to represent him or herself.
Mentor – A mentor is someone who invests time and energy into a someone by sharing their experiences and advise to train and encourage the person being mentored, often times in a specific area of live.
Reunification – This is when a child who has been removed from their biological parents or family member for reasons of abuse or neglect is reunified with their biological parents or other family member.
Trauma – Trauma is defined by a physical, mental, or emotional experiences causing an injury that is deeply disturbing or distressing. Most children who are adopted or living in foster care have experienced some kind of severe trauma.
Advocate – This is a person who take it upon themselves to support, defend, promote, and plead another’s cause.