Forever Family Fun Day Honors Safe Permanent Placements for Children and Teens

Over the past twelve months, more than 180 children and teens in the care of Franklin County Children Services found safe, permanent placement with grandparents, relatives, or family friends… and FCCS celebrated these new “forever families” with its second annual Forever Family Fun Day.

“We understand the responsibility and the amount of love and care that someone has to take on that commitment and to raise a child that is not their own,” said Sid Daniels, Associate Director of Kinship.  

The work of the FCCS Kinship team to support these placements is part of the more than 300 total “forever families” for children in agency care finalized either through adoption or permanent kinship placement in 2025, according to Mr. Daniels.

“We want to honor that,” he added. “We also want to make sure it’s fun.” 

This year’s Forever Family Fun Day was held at Skate Zone 71 in late December, offering families connected to the Kinship and Adoption programs a free morning of skating and arcade games.

And by holding it during the Winter Break, Mr. Daniels noted the event gave families a fun, family-friendly activity at a time when schools are closed and families are looking for engaging opportunities to get out of the house.

“It’s truly hard to raise kids, and these folks have made a choice to take on kids that are not their own,” said Mr. Daniels. “I tip my hat to people like that every day.” 

Mr. Daniels, who experienced kinship placement himself as a child, says helping to create these forever families is a full-circle moment.  

“Being a product of a kinship home, I’m not sure where I would be without my grandparents,” he shared. 

Over the past year, FCCS has expanded access to supports and financial resources for kinship providers who are caring for a child or teen connected to the agency, including an ongoing stipend to help these “forever families” with future costs. 

“They’re providing that permanency for a child,” Daniels said at the event. “That’s just an amazing thing we want to celebrate.”

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