Foster & Kinship Care Education Program

Why is FKCE Important?

From 1989 to 1998, the number of children in California's foster care system has grown by more than 50%-- from 68,000 to 105,000. The dramatic increase in the state's foster care population has been attributed to many factors-there are a greater number of children living in poverty, increasing numbers of parents who abuse alcohol and drugs, and increasing cases of child abuse and neglect. The FKCE program plays a vital role in providing licensed foster parents and relative caregivers with the training and education that will help them in meeting the multifaceted and often complex needs of the foster children in their care. Through the community colleges with FKCE programs, in 2006-2007 the community colleges played an important role by providing over 25,600 hours of education/training to foster parents and relative caregivers.