IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY:
- Victims of child abuse are 42% more likely to be abused and neglected again.
- Nearly half of all children in foster care have learning disabilities or delays.
- Only 58% of young people in foster care graduate from high school.
- Only 3% graduate from college.
- By 11th grade, only 20% of students in foster care are proficient in English.
- Only 5% are proficient in math.
TRANSITIONAL YOUTH:
Half of all young adults who age out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
- 50% of young men aging out of foster care have become fathers, compared to 19% of their peers who were not in foster care.
- Teen girls in foster care are 2.5 times more likely to become pregnant by age 19.
- 75% of young women in foster care report at least one pregnancy by age 21, compared to only 33% of their peers who are not in foster care.
* Statistics from Alliance for Children’s Rights *
Bithiah’s Family Services provides resources and support to Foster and Adoptive families, Educators, Social Workers, Kinship Families, Reunifying Families and those that work with vulnerable children. Through trauma informed trainings, retreats, workshops and tangible necessities, Bithiah’s is committed to support, equip and encourage those that are “in the trenches”.
It all began with Bithiah’s Residential Treatment Center, aka Bithiah’s House. This short term residential program served medically fragile children ages 0-6. During their stay, each child received intensive therapy services, medical treatment, and top-notch care. Pet therapy, music, art and gymnastics classes helped to aid each child in the healing process. Bithiah’s House quickly grew a waiting list for potential placement and was described as exceptional and became preferred placement for local counties. Lives were changed, healing began and impact was created.
OUR STORY
The Thompsons became licensed foster parents in 2008. They started seeing the great need for temporary placement of babies and toddlers in the foster care system and the lack of support for those “in the trenches”. After trying to meet this need in their home through traditional foster care, they decided to open a separate residence to care for and treat more children at a time and Bithiah’s House was born. In 2019, Bithiah’s House expanded to Bithiah’s Family Services providing training, support and resources to those working with vulnerable children. Keith and Michelle are both Educators residing in Southern California and are parents to 5 through birth and adoption.