State Honors Sonoma County Foster Parents and Social Worker

Sonoma County, CA -- Santa Rosa residents Kim and Scott Streeter were named California Foster Parents of the Year and Family, Youth and Children Division Social Worker Rose Eshe was named Social Worker of the Year by the California Department of Social Services on Sunday, October 7, 2018. The ceremony was held during the California State Foster Parent Association&'s 42nd annual conference in Sacramento.

“These honors are well-deserved, says Sonoma County Human Services Department Family, Youth and Children Division Director Nick Honey. “The Streeters have opened their home to provide vital, compassionate care for local foster children for many years, and Rose has made a positive difference in foster children&'s and families&' lives in her work for the County. We&'re so grateful for them.

“We consider it an honor and privilege to care for children as they heal and thrive, says Kim Streeter. “Being a foster family has been one of the most important elements of our lives.

Says Eshe, “Working for the well-being of children has always been my calling. They deserve the best of what all of us can give.

In Sonoma County in 2017, 724 children and youth were in foster care at some time during the year. They were cared for by foster parents or relatives or at the Valley of the Moon Children&'s Home, group homes or transitional homes for foster youth working or going to school.

In California, nearly 60,000 children and youth ages 0-20 were in child-welfare-supervised foster care in January 2018.  The California State Foster Parent Association, Inc. (CSFPA) provides support, advocacy, resources and education to all California Resource Families/Foster Parents. Its purpose is to bring together all Foster Parent/Resource Family associations throughout California to work together to promote the general welfare of children that need protective care.