Resources for Families Facing Challenges in South Carolina
How the South Carolina Youth Advocate Program Provides Support, Stability & Hope Families across South Carolina face a wide range of challenges - from behavioral and emotional struggles to unexpected crises and the need for safe, supportive care. The South...
There Is a Foster Parent Shortage: How You Can Help
Have you ever wondered why there’s a shortage of foster parents in South Carolina and across the country? In recent years, fewer individuals and families have stepped forward to become foster parents - and many who do start fostering often stop after their first year....
National Adoption Month: Adopting from Foster Care
Celebrating Families, Hope, and Forever Homes Each November, we celebrate National Adoption Month - a time to raise awareness about adoption, honor families who have opened their hearts and homes, and shine a light on the thousands of children in foster care who are...
Children’s Mental Health Matters: Access to Mental Health Services in Schools
Children’s mental health is just as important as their physical health - but too often, it’s the area that gets overlooked. Between academic pressures, social challenges, and personal struggles, many students face emotional and mental health concerns that impact how...
Working Full-Time as a Foster Parent: You Can Do It!
Many people believe that being a foster parent requires you to stay home full-time - but that’s simply not true. Every day, countless foster parents successfully balance their careers, families, and the meaningful responsibility of caring for children in need. If...
What Happens When Youth Age Out of Foster Care?
Every year, thousands of young people across the United States "age out" of foster care. This means they reach adulthood - usually at age 18 or 21, depending on the state - and leave the foster care system without being connected to a permanent family. While many...
Generational Foster Parents: Passing Down the Heart for Helping Children
In South Carolina and across the nation, some families carry a very special tradition - the tradition of fostering. These generational foster parents have passed down their passion for helping children from one generation to the next, creating a lasting legacy of...
Supporting Mental Health for Children, Teens, and Families in South Carolina
Mental health is just as important as physical health. At the South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP), we provide professional mental health services to help children, teens, and families facing emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. Our goal...
Financial Support Is Available for Foster Parents
One of the most common questions we hear is:"Can I afford to be a foster parent?" This is a very real and honest concern - and the good news is: you don’t have to do it alone. When you open your home to a child in foster care, you are not expected to carry the...
Common Misconceptions About Foster Care
Separating fact from fiction to better support children in need Foster care plays a vital role in helping children and teens who cannot safely live with their families. But there are many misconceptions about what foster care is, who foster parents are, and...