"A child is waiting to be long"

   Although IBP specializes in serving black children and families, we are a non-profit agency that serves all ethnic groups. IBP is licensed to recruit families, conduct home studies and certify homes for the placement of children with loving families. IBP provides education, training, consultations, support services, resources and referrals.

IBP provides Family Preservation and Family Reunification services to assist with maintaining children in their biological or extended family.

   In the event that Family Preservation and Family Reunification services are unsuccessful, IBP believes that the process of placing children in Adoption or Foster Care should be as positive an experience as possible for the children, birth parents, foster parents and social workers. We have simplified the process and made it more sensitive to the needs of all those who are involved.

The Institute for Black Parenting (IBP) was founded in 1976 as the social services and research component of the Association of Black Social Workers of Greater Los Angeles (A.B.S.W. - L.A. ) in order to strengthen African American families. IBP is a California and Louisiana based private, nonprofit 501C3 organization.

   In 1988, IBP was licensed as an Adoption Agency and in 1989 as a Foster Family Agency. IBP serves residents of four counties; Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties and the State of Louisiana. There are no fees for services.

For over 25 years, IBP has been providing culturally sensitive services to African American children and families.

   The agency currently has 65 employees engaged in providing adoption, kinship care, foster care and family preservation services. All social work staff have masters degrees in social work or related fields.

Since June 1989, IBP has established its Therapeutic Foster Care Program to provide assessment and treatment for children, from infancy to 17, who have been removed from their birth parent’s homes. They receive ongoing, close supervision by culturally sensitive, and well trained staff, all of whom have Master’s Degrees, and are supervised by Licensed Clinical Social Workers.

Children That We Serve:

• Infants & Toddlers
• Sibling Sets
• Teenagers/Teen Parents
• School age children
• Children of diverse backgrounds
• Special needs children including drug exposed, developmentally delayed, emotionally, psychologically or behaviorally disturbed
• Specializing in services to children of black or racially mixed heritage.

Foster Care Services to Children

• Bi-Monthly visits with children in the home and in other settings
• Required medical and dental examinations on a regular basis or as needed
• Extracurricular activities
• Therapy provided by Psychologists and Licensed Clinical Social Workers
• Family Reunification services
• Transportation to family visits, court and other appointments
• Tutoring
• Teen Link Group
• Foster Parent Support Group

Social Work Services

• Professional, sensitive staff and social workers with Masters Degrees in Social Work and/or related fields.
• Program clinically managed by a LCSW
• Multidisciplinary team assessments
• Intensive supervision and visitation
• Small caseloads for personalized services
• Ongoing in-service training
• Comprehensive quarterly and annual reports
• On call evenings & weekends for Placement Services and emergencies