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United for Families, Foster Parent Mentor Program, Children's Services Advisory Committee "Lack of support is the biggest reason foster parents leave the system," Foster Parent David Hall said in an Apr.127, 2006 interview. "We' re trained how to deal with children' s behaviors one way, but in reality, there ' s nothing you learned that can help you deal with those problems. " Hall' s assessment is backed by a 2005 UFF data report that suggests 34 percent of home closures were due in some part to lack of support. Those closures represent a loss of up to 36 beds that could have been given to children. An annual foster parent appreciation dinner also is planned as part of the program and will offer another avenue for retention activities. Studies show that recognition and praise is instrumental to successfully engage any type of volunteer activity. UFF drew from conclusions of the 2000 Governor s Blue Ribbon Panel for Foster Care Recruitment and Retention in designing this program. The study, which engaged foster parents from throughout Florida, found that the key to improving recruitment and retention is to increase both financial and non-financial support to existing foster parents . Peer mentors were specifically named as a best practice in foster parent retention. 4. List staffing needed for your program, including required experience and estimated hours per week in program for each staff member and/or volunteers (this section should conform to the information in the Position Listing on the Budget Narrative Worksheet). • Foster Parent Coordinator: Coordinator will have experience working with foster parents and in accessing local resources . The coordinator will serve approximately 40 hours per week and be expected to attend all monthly foster parent association meetings. • Mentor: The mentor must be a foster parent who resides in Indian River County and who has at least three years of experience. Mentor will serve at least 10 hours per month. 5. How will the target population be made aware of the program? The UFF foster parent coordinator will assign mentors to new foster homes during the licensing process. UFF will make the program available to the foster care community in general and increase awareness of the program through a monthly newsletter and during monthly foster parent association meetings. The program will be incorporated in all foster parent training courses, and case managers will about learn the program through required pre-service training. 6. How will the program be accessible to target population (i.e., location, transportation, hours of operation)? The mentor will make home visits when necessary and be accessible 24 hours a day, all week. The mentor also will be available during monthly foster parent association meetings, which take place in Vero Beach, or by phone. Problems arising at night that require the coordinator or any other UFF staff will be handled at the start of the next business day. After- hour emergencies, however, will be handled via an on-call worker. 4