Requirements to Become a Foster Family
What qualities make a successful resource parent?
- Empathy and good listening skills
- Perseverance when things get tough
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Patience and sense of humor
- Stability and consistency in your personal and family life
- An ability to guide and discipline children without the use of physical punishment
- Openness to support and education
- Willingness to work as part of a team
- The ability to look after yourself emotionally and stay well
- A willingness to work with other people in the child’s life including birth parents, extended family members, social workers, and the court system
- A willingness & openness to support the child to develop a sense of positive identity that includes their culture, language, sexual orientation, and religion
- The ability to support families in unique or out-of-the-box ways
- An openness to children of all different ages and backgrounds
Individual Requirements:
- Be at least 21 years of age or older and a United States citizen or legal immigrant who is admitted for legal residence
- Be a resident of the county in which you wish to serve
- All household members must have a physical exam
- Provide verification of marriage(s) and divorce(s)
- Provide proof of income and complete a family financial statement
- Undergo a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services background check, Child Support and MVA records checks, and Sex Offender Registry check
- Be CPR certified
- Provide 3 references, 1 of which can be a relative and 2 non-relatives.
Home Qualifications:
- Certain counties require health and sanitary inspections of the home by local Health Department
- Certain counties require a fire inspection of the home by Fire Marshall
- Each child must have his or her own bed and provision for privacy, study, and storage for their belongings
- Pets must be licensed and properly vaccinated
- All firearms in the home must be safely stored, registered and ammunition must be stored separately.
Special Safety Requirements (Pools, hot tubs, waterfront properties):
- Ensure areas are maintained in a safe and sanitary condition
- Comply with county zoning, building, and/or health codes or ordinances
- Waterfront property must have a fence with a locked door or gate, controlling access to the body of water
In-Ground Pools:
- Must be completely enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet high; fence gate must be locked
- Must be completely covered in a manner to prevent access by the child, or must have power safety covers that may be used as an alternative to fences
Above-Ground Pools:
- Must include retractable or removable ladders that are locked when not in use or stored away from the pool
- Shall be at least 4 feet above ground at all points. Doors and gates that access the pool shall have lock; if a pool has a deck area with a door, the door shall be locked; permanent steps shall have a locked gate
- May not have climbable objects on the exterior of the pool
Hot Tubs/Spas:
- Must include retractable or removable ladders that are locked when not in use or stored away from the hot tub/spa
- Must have secured covers when not in use
- May not have climbable objects on the exterior of the hot tub/spa