Foster Care and Prevention Services Program

This BCPS program provides the following services:

• A specialized training for all school-based designees working with Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services.
• Case consultation to school-based child abuse designees, school administrators, teachers, and other school district staff (including charter schools) who are responsible for mandatory reporting.
• Support and technical assistance to all employees in completing the mandatory Child Abuse training on the Department of Children and Families.
• Assistance to the child abuse investigators with student information requests for child abuse investigation purposes.

• A self-directed online Child Abuse and Neglect training to increase the knowledge and skills of teachers and other school personnel as they learn indicators of suspected abuse, neglect, and abandonment, and report them timely to the Florida Abuse Hotline.

• Supports the stabilization of the child in school to ensure continuing academic instruction, achievement, and social-emotional needs.
• Guides and advocates for secondary level students so that graduation from high school and readiness for post-secondary education and/or vocational training is attainable. 
• Monitors dependency shelter hearings daily, attends review hearings as needed, and reports to respective school-based personnel (Foster Care Designee) to ensure safety and security in education continuity
• Coordinates Transportation, Free Lunch, and school registration and withdrawals for foster care youth. 
• Provides technical assistance and training to schools and agencies related to educational advocacy for foster care youth.  
• Oversees the Interagency Agreement with the Department of Children and Family (DCF), ChildNet (Broward’s child welfare agency), Career Source Broward (CSB), Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) - Area 10, Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) - Circuit 17, Broward Behavioral Health Coalition (BBHC).