United Friends of the Children was founded in 1979 by Nancy Daly Riordan to address the unmet needs of Los Angeles County’s foster youth – a most vulnerable and underserved population. Today, UFC provides support services to more than 2,000 current and former foster youth each year, working to provide them with the opportunity to finish high school, find housing, attend college and build the skills to support themselves. The organization’s programs address the most tangible needs of foster youth while also encouraging them to explore issues of identity, trust, self-esteem, communication and emotional well-being.

> Q+A WITH NANCY
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Q+A WITH NANCY

What inspired you to start UFC?
25 years ago, I visited MacLaren Hall for the first time. The abused children living there were treated as though they had done something wrong. They were sad and needy and the setting felt like a prison.

I formed UFC with other caring women who were concerned about the conditions at Mac. We raised money to fill some basic needs of the children—like hair clips, toothpaste, soap and shampoo. At the same time, we went to our elected officials and the media to bring attention to the conditions at Mac and to the terribly dysfunctional foster care system. On the one hand, I wanted to demonstrate to these children that people really did care about them. On the other hand, I wanted to ensure that we could change laws and regulations to hold the government accountable for the well-being of the children placed in their care.

Did you have any idea the organization would expand to provide the breadth of services it does today?
When I decided to form UFC, I was told it was a waste of time. There were plenty of organizations already in existence providing services and oversight for foster children. Little did I realize those voices were dead wrong. I do know that my outrage was contagious and people came out of the woodwork to join up and speak out. As we built our board, we became more knowledgeable regarding the issues and began focusing on the gaps in services and how to fill them. The organization you see today is the natural result of that vision.

What is unique about UFC?
We have developed a board and staff of strong, independent and experienced individuals whose vision for the organization is clear. We understand the need to be nimble, substantive, and dynamic. As we are cohesive and focused in our dealings with County, State and Federal government, we are able to change laws, regulations and funding streams to address the needs of foster youth. Primarily, though, our staff is on the cutting edge of providing programs and services that address the needs of youth transitioning from care.

What do you think are the key issues facing the foster care community today?
Children should not grow up in foster care. Funding should be available to ensure the safety and nurturing of children in their own families. The foster care system should be structured in such a way that when children are removed from their families, they should be quickly assessed, as well as their families. If the child cannot be returned to his or her family, they should be released for adoption as soon as possible.

Foster parents should be well trained and prepared to deal with the complex issues and difficulties that children removed from their families must face and endure. Foster parents should be treated as professionals and paid appropriately for their services.

Funding for foster care should be flexible, allowing the Director of Childrens’ Services to put funds where they are most effective—namely to help families stay together and reduce the number of children removed from their homes and placed in foster care.

When did UFC start focusing on transition-aged youth?
United Friends of the Children has always been at the forefront of recognizing and addressing the unmet needs of children and youth in the foster care system. Our compassionate response to the problems we were seeing led to the development of the education, career and housing programs that we are known for today. Preparing youth for life beyond foster care was a natural progression in our thinking and focus. We knew we couldn’t stop caring about these kids when they turned eighteen.