A career path with purpose: Changing the lives of children and youth in need
“I believe in second chances, especially when it includes children experiencing trauma.” Donna Smith, a Professional Parent in Seneca Family of Agencies’ (Seneca) Petaluma COMPASS Program, knows the power of second chances better than most. Twenty-nine years ago, Donna opened her heart and her home to a young girl in foster care with a history of trauma and the need for unwavering support, stability and love. With compassion and a healthy dose of optimism, Donna took a chance, and for that, she and her daughter are forever grateful.
A lifelong calling to make a difference
“I’m a proud mom of a foster child,” shares Donna. However, the road was not easy. “I don’t want to disillusion you. We experienced a lot of challenges. It got to the point where my family wanted me to give up on her. I explained to them that she needed patience and support. I saw something special in her; I called her my diamond in the rough.”
Donna’s commitment to her daughter came naturally, growing pains aside. Her story is one of trust, hope, and success, achieved through familial support. Though transformative, Donna’s initial experience as a foster parent was marked by isolation. She and her family navigated intense personal challenges without connection to a broader community, or support from a team. While it was difficult, it was an extraordinarily rewarding journey for Donna, and her daughter, who is expanding on her mom’s legacy of doing good in the world. In a beautiful full-circle moment, Donna’s daughter now works as a foster care advocate, inspiring others to take the leap and provide second chances to young people in need.
Looking back, Donna is grateful, yet often thinks about how different her experience would have been had she been connected to an organization like Seneca while raising her daughter. Now, working as a Professional Parent nearly 30 years later, she knows firsthand how impactful that connection can be.
The power of unconditional support
Inspired by a passion for helping young people, and emboldened by her career in public education, Donna joined Seneca as a Professional Parent, a position that allows her to apply her skills in a family setting to create lasting change for youth in the foster system. Professional Parents provide a critical role in supporting youth involved in foster care. While living in a single-family home (provided by Seneca) on the COMPASS property, Seneca’s Professional Parents provide stability, structure and Unconditional Care while working closely with a treatment team and county partners to ensure the youth they parent receives the best care possible. Parents are also provided with utilities and a tax-free living stipend, so that they can dedicate their full attention to parenting the children in their charge, without the need to maintain outside employment. For Donna, these supports and connections have made a world of difference.
“The foundation of our COMPASS program is community,” shares Alex Rush, North Bay Resource Family Recruiter. “We strive to create strong connections amongst our staff, Professional Parents and youth because we know that caring and committed relationships can be the most effective intervention for encouraging change and growth.” It is this communitycentered growth that enables families to change the message foster youth receive about their place in the world. Namely, that they are capable of success, and deserving of happiness and belonging.
Extensive training and support
This time around, Donna felt much more prepared to parent a young person with a history of trauma, and fully meet their needs. Prior to starting her position as a Professional Parent, Donna completed a series of Seneca-led foster care training classes, expanding her breadth of knowledge and connecting her to committed clinicians: “The classes have definitely strengthened my skills to provide for youth who have experienced trauma. Seneca has a strong, caring supportive team. My Seneca team checks in often to make sure I’m doing fine. It’s a plus to be valued. I am proud to be part of the strong Seneca family.” It’s this individualized support that makes Donna feel that she has all she needs to
help youth thrive.
“The extensive training promotes growth and a better understanding of expectations. Seneca challenges me to learn new techniques to successfully change children’s lenses so they can more clearly envision hope for their future.” Although Donna always had the heart for working with youth in foster care, with the support of Seneca, she can do even more. With a vast toolkit of resources, and a caring team only a call away, Donna has flourished in her role, transforming lives and providing youth with second chances.
We’re thrilled to highlight Donna Smith as our first Professional Parent in Seneca’s Petaluma COMPASS program. However, Donna is just one example of the power of Unconditional Care and support. There are currently more than 7,000 youth in foster care in the Bay Area in need of a loving and supportive home.
If, like Donna, you are looking for an opportunity to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and youth in foster care, consider becoming a Professional Parent at Seneca Family of Agencies.
Join Seneca’s team as a Professional Parent
When you join Seneca as a Professional Parent, you are supported with housing, a generous stipend, and 24-hour support to care for one child at a time, helping them heal from past trauma and find success. People with experience in helping professions or working with teens may be especially well-suited to the role of Professional Parent (couples and individuals are welcome). Please call (884) 221-5844 to learn more!
Since 1985, Seneca Family of Agencies has been helping children and families through the most difficult times of their lives. Seneca is a nonprofit mental health agency, providing Unconditional Care through an array of school, community-based and familyfocused treatment services for children and families throughout California and Washington state. We offer each child a simple but profound promise: You will be supported every step of the way, no matter what challenges you face.