The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their birth parents once their issues that led to their removal have been resolved. However, some children may spend long periods of time in foster care while awaiting adoption or other permanent arrangements.

Children who enter foster care have experienced relational trauma that can have long lasting effects on their well-being, if not healed. These effects include emotional difficulties, developmental issues, physical health problems, learning challenges, behavioral issues and difficulty with social integration.

Children in foster care often lack a flow of basic necessities, a sense of stability, belonging, a consistent and supportive environment, trust, attachment, a sense of self worth and healthy, loving relationships.

There are over 34,000 children in foster care in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. With frequent placement changes, many of these kids experience a childhood full of transition and instability. It is our job as their community to not look away and to show these children we see them! 

Royal Family KIDS Camp is a unique opportunity for children in foster care to experience safety, unconditional love and hope, in the midst of their challenging circumstances.

Our camp is designed to meet the unique needs of children in foster care. With a 2:1 ratio of safe adults to children, our camp provides 89% more adult supervision than a typical camp (with an average ratio of 6:1). The additional supervision and mentoring is critical to meet the individual needs of our campers in foster care and group home scenarios. 

Each year, For The Children Thousand Oaks recruits, trains and leads 60-70 full-time resident volunteers and over 30 part-time volunteers for Royal Family KIDS Camp.

Volunteers apply for a position to serve at our camp. All full-time volunteers interview, provide references, undergo a background check and commit to investing 8 hours of their personal time in trauma-informed training. This ensures we are able to cultivate a camp atmosphere that is safe, physically, psychologically and emotionally for our campers.

Our camp is operated by foster-informed, trauma-sensitive, loving adults who are safe, equipped and ready to come alongside our campers to meet their unique needs.

Our volunteers are amazing human beings committed to elevating compassion, looking beyond behaviors—to the very heart of our campers’ needs. They invest a full week of their summer to show a child they are worthy of being seen and known for who they really are.

It truly takes a village to fund this unique camp experience for children in foster care!

Through the generous support of heart-led people like you, For The Children Thousand Oaks does not charge guardians for camp and is able to offer attendance to Royal Family KIDS Camp to campers free of charge!

For The Children Thousand Oaks cannot do what we do for foster children without the support and financial contributions of YOU, our Community at large.

We are grateful to Atmosphere Church, an incredible partner and sponsor. From the beginning, they have stood with us as a fierce advocate for children!

We believe there is nothing more life-changing than experiencing unconditional acceptance. Royal Family KIDS Camp is a gateway to a whole new life, and we would love for you to join us!

We’re on a mission to create life-changing moments for children in foster care. You can be a part of it today!

For The Children Thousand Oaks is led by Co-Directors Andy Richards and Katie Shull. Together with their Camp Leadership Team, they work alongside a passionate group of over 100 volunteers in carrying out Royal Family KIDS Camp in our local mountains each summer. Each camp takes an incredible team effort to plan and execute. We are so grateful for each and every one of our volunteers!

For The Children Thousand Oaks operates under our international parent organization, For The Children, that is committed to the safety and dignity of children. FTC believes that children should have family, safety, rights and a future. Founded in 1985, For The Children is made up of over 200 chapters across the US and globe. Over the span of 40 years, FTC has served +150,000 children in foster care, with the help of +15,000 volunteers and +1,200 church partners.

FTC Thousand Oaks represents your local chapter of Royal Family KIDS Camp. Our camp is made possible through the collective work of :

• Social Services (provides the kids!)

• Atmosphere Church (provides the people power!)

• Camp Facility (provides the location of camp!)

• You, Our Community (provides the funds, resources and gifts in kind!).

Together, these 4 entities work in a collaborative effort for the sake of the foster children in our local community. Each provides a vital link in a chain of support to accomplish the goal of carrying out the mission of Royal Family KIDS Camp: to make life-changing moments.

Royal Family KIDS Camp of For The Children Thousand Oaks was over a decade in the making. 

Through 12 transformative years as a RFKC counselor through For The Children Ventura, our Co-Director Katie Shull felt an undeniable call to bring this life-changing experience for children in foster care to Thousand Oaks. In the middle of the 2020 pandemic, she pursued the camp’s launch with a heart full of hope. 

In 2022, with the help of a dedicated leadership team, the support of Atmosphere Church and generous donors, this dream became a reality! Our first Royal Family KIDS Camp launched in July 2022 with a team of 50 full-time resident volunteers, serving 25 children in foster care from Ventura and Los Angeles counties. 

In 2023, Andy Richards joined Katie as Co-Director of For The Children Thousand Oaks. Together, they are unwavering in their commitment to act for the children and in favor of children. Alongside an incredible team of passionate volunteers, we are committed to creating unforgettable moments for children in foster care, ensuring that every special camper feels like royalty.