Here at Children’s Place Association we believe all children – regardless of health or economic status – should have the opportunity to lead their best lives. Our Foster Care & Adoption program works to find parents who will offer the stability, guidance and love every child needs to develop and thrive. It takes dedicated individuals who believe in this mission to bring it to life. As National Adoption Awareness Month comes to close we want to introduce you a team member who admires the people who commit to being foster parents.
Almeta, a Foster Care Case Manager at Children’s Place did not set out to work in the field, at 10-years-old she was impressed with her first and third grade teachers – so much so, she planned to be an elementary school teacher. While she did not end up in the classroom, Almeta’s values of commitment, consistency and dependability brought her to care for children and families in different way.
As Foster Care Case Manager, Almeta always remembers to be fair and keep an open mind,“I am almost always available to my clients to ensure good follow through”and everything she does, always has the best interest of the child at the forefront.
On any given day Almeta is: doing home visits with minors, foster and biological parents in the city of Chicago and its suburbs, making phone calls to service providers, medical personnel, schools and foster parents or attending scheduled court dates and administrative case reviews if needed.
As with all professions, there are challenges like “unnecessary delays, court continuances and cases not moving forward” that Almeta would like change in her field. What she would not change is the working environment and feeling supported, “being able to always reach a supervisor or a program manager” to consult on cases, is high on her list of what she enjoys as a team member at Children’s Place.
When not traveling across the Chicagoland area to advocate for children in our Foster Care & Adoption program, Almeta is following the Chicago Bears, reading books or tuning in to the ID (Investigation Discovery) Channel.
ABOUT CHILDREN’S PLACE ASSOCIATION
Children’s Place Association transforms the lives of children in the very worst circumstances – those confronting illness and extreme poverty. Children’s Place intervenes at critical points in children’s development to effect positive, long-term impact, focusing on four key areas: Health, Education, Family Stability and Economic Stability. Award-winning, comprehensive services include Early Education with onsite medical care for children challenged by illness or disabilities; Supportive Housing for families struggling with health issues and homelessness; a Residential Center with 24-hour Nursing for medically complex children; Foster/Adoptive Care for abused/neglected children; and Case Management, Mental Health and Summer Camp.
