How It's Done in Florida

The One Church, One Child of Florida program operates in conjunction with the Florida Department of Children and Families. There are 31 board members throughout the state, representing all DCF districts/region and an executive director located at OCOC headquarters in Tallahassee.

Staff and volunteers go into the churches to discuss adoption and foster care and the need for temporary and permanent homes. Staff also make use of radio, television, community organizations, community activities and festivities, businesses, entities and agencies in distributing information regarding special needs children in foster care. These persons represent One Church, One Child and serve as liaisons to the child welfare system and the 31-member One Church, One Child Board of Directors.

The children requiring adoption and foster care services are available through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and/or Community Based Care (CBC) agencies. One church, One Child works in conjunction with DCF and CBCs to provide permanent and temporary homes for children and to help with support activities for the children.

One Church, One Child in Florida recruits adoptive and foster families, provides orientation for families, provides parent training for prospective adoptive and foster families, completes adoptive home studies, assists with identifying families for children who wait for homes, assists with post placement supervision of children placed for adoption and supports families on-going.