Currently California emancipates nearly 3,500 youth a year from our foster care system without a connection to a stable adult.  The results are tragic, studies are showing that within one year of emancipation more than half will be homeless, incarcerated, or dead, and half of the young women will be pregnant.  The solution is providing permanency for youth prior to their exit from foster care by reconnecting them with important adults; such as family, siblings, former teachers, coaches; and then helping them create positive relationships that will transition them into adulthood.

Consider that most of these youth do not have simple memories and family stories that many of us take for granted.  Such as knowing what hospital they were born in; what time they were born; when they first walked, crawled, and talked; what their favorite baby item was; or having a picture of yourself as a baby.  These priceless memories are often lost when a child enters the foster care system, but they mean the world to the youth we work with who are struggling to identify themselves in foster care.  Through our permanency work this information can be recollected and provided to the youth.

In 2008 Rebekah Children’s Services dedicated a full time permanency worker to our Residential Treatment Program.  The result of which has been a commitment no child who leaves our program without at least one durable adult connection, who is committed to helping them transition into adulthood.  We compile family history information, birth information, childhood photos and create family trees for each youth; piece by piece recreating their past so that they can have a positive sense of their heritage to leave us with.  Many youth have completely lost contact with extend family members and siblings, even parents.  Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to locate and reengage them into their lives.

Through permanency RCS is bringing life changing events into the lives of the youth we serve.  Youth are visiting with family and siblings on our campus that they lost contact with years before.  We are assisting with families transportation needs whenever possible, sometimes paying for airfare or hotel rooms if it is a financial hardship for the family.  Currently our efforts in Permanency Services are completely funded through grant or foundation monies.

For more information about Permanency Services please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .