Our program has the ability to host 48 7th-12th graders both on-site and in a foster family home specifically recruited and trained to work with teenagers.

YCP’s program hinges on the understanding that education and connection change the trajectory of a child’s life. Our dorms are located on campus at Samueli Academy and provide consistent education and socio-emotional support for youth to live out the life they envision.

Students live on campus in family-style dorms during the week and spend weekends, holidays, and summers with their foster families. This allows our youth to adjust and adapt to their new foster family slowly while also building new skills with our dorm staff throughout the week.

Our program is a team effort through and through. From our 24/7 social work team to consistent dorm staff, clinical assessors, educational support, and foster parents specifically trained to work with youth, our teens feel no shortage of care.

YCP was created with longevity and continuity of placement in mind. The ideal student would be able to not only find permanency within a family unit, but would maintain their education at Samueli until graduation. This is made possible through both our intentional matching process and the stability of the dorms and staff, if a family placement does need to change.

All of our foster parents are recruited knowing they will work primarily with youth grades 7-12. They all receive specific training as to the development of teenagers and how to address varying strengths and challenges that come with working with the age group.

At any given time, multiple, consistent professionals maintain relationships and hands-on care with our youth, in addition to the loving support of their Collaborative Foster Parents. Collaborative Foster Parents have access to our staff 24/7 in case of emergency or just to talk through a situation, and our team has unparalleled access to Samueli’s school staff, enabling our youth to succeed in all areas.

Samueli Academy has served the youth of Santa Ana and Orange County for over 10 years. Each year, they receive almost triple the number of applicants than they can actually take. The good news for youth with active foster care cases? Samueli reserves a specific number of spots for that demographic and will accept them at any time of the year.

Our social work and dorm staff coordinate with county workers and our foster parents to ensure youth make it to all necessary appointments throughout the week. In addition, we are able to provide opportunities for and transportation to extracurricular activities many of our youth miss out on while in care.

Our goal is to continue to approve families who are willing to take in sibling groups. Even when our larger sibling groups cannot be placed in the same home together, they still get time together the majority of the week in our dorms, reducing the trauma of separation while still giving them some independence as they grow.