• Singles and married couples can become licensed to provide foster care with no expectation or commitment to adopt.
• Families can choose to foster children with or without special needs, individual children or sibling groups and children within age ranges.
• Families can be licensed to provide respite or relief care for foster parents on a short-term basis.

Foster Parent Requirements...

Requirements for becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent can vary among agencies. Some of the basic common requirements are:

• Over the age of 21
• Clean criminal record
• Legal U.S. resident
• Space in the home adequate for a child
• Home that passes safety inspections
• Moral character and sound judgment deemed appropriate for parenting
• Required training and certifications

Foster Parents Are...

• Responsible for meeting the emotional, physical, recreational, spiritual, material and safety needs of children.
• Subject to rules (i.e., state standards) for care of children in their care and monitored by CPS and/or a CPA.
• Reimbursed for caring for children in foster care.
  
  
  • The reimbursement is meant to cover the expenses of raising children; it is not considered income and is intended to be spent on the needs of children.
  • In most cases, the daily reimbursement is around $20 - $25 per day for each child.
  • Children in foster care are also generally eligible for Medicaid, in order to provide for their medical and dental needs.
  • In some cases funds are available to reimburse foster parents for a portion of their childcare costs.