1. How long is the average stay in foster care? A child’s stay may be as short as overnight or as long as it takes to achieve a permanent plan for the child.

2. How many foster kids return to their families? Foster care provides children with a short-term or long-term home and a supportive, stable family environment when they can’t live with their birth parents. Typically, foster parents care for children in foster care until they’re reunited with their birth families, or are legally available for adoption. About one-third of all children return to their birth families, a third stay in foster care, and a third get adopted.

3. How much do foster parents get paid? Foster parents do receive a “reimbursement” to offset the costs of a child’s room, board, clothing and related expenses. They also receive a health insurance card covering a child’s medical, dental, vision and therapy expenses, as well as most prescriptions.

4. Will the amount of money I get cover the needs of the child? Generally, but you may have extra expenses if the child is involved in other activities, such as sports or daycare.

5. What are the basic qualifications? In order to be foster parent, you must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be financially stable
• Be single or married
• Own or rent a home or apartment
• Have homeowners or renter’s insurance
• Be with or without children of your own
• Have adequate space for a child
• Be aware that foster care is usually temporary
• Have the ability to work as a team with social workers and other service providers
• Have a clear background check, for you and the other people in your home
• Provide personal references

6. How long is the process? The length of time varies for each individual situation. The average time to complete a home study is 3-6 months.

7. Can I foster if I am single? Yes. You do not need to be married to be a foster parent.

8. What kind of time commitment is involved? This is a difficult question to answer, as every placement and every child is unique. It depends on the child’s age, as well as medical or emotional needs. Even things like extra-curricular activities can come into play.

9. I am disabled. Can I foster? A disability itself may not prevent you from being a foster parent, but you have to be able to appropriately care for the child, transport him or her to appointments if needed, and be an active part of his or her life while in placement.

10. Can I take more than one child at a time? Yes.

11. Do I have to get a new foster care license when I move? Yes. Your home must be licensed by the county that home is in. If you move, your new home must be able to pass a home study for safety and adequate space requirements.

12. Can I adopt a child I am fostering? Foster care’s biggest goal is to reunite children with their birth families, after those families have been given the help they need. However, in some cases, a child may not be able to return to his/her biological or legal family. At that point, other permanent placement arrangements must be made, such as placement with a relative or permanent legal custodian, or adoption.

13. What if I don’t like or can’t handle the child placed with me? We work with you to match placements and support you through difficult times. It is important that you work closely with your social worker and communicate your concerns about the child to them.

14. Do I get childcare assistance? Each county may, or may not, have childcare resources or funds available to assist with this cost.

15. How much will I know about the child? Child and Family Services will tell you everything they know about a child prior to your accepting him or her. This includes age, gender, ethnicity and the reason the child is being placed. We want you to feel comfortable taking a child into your home. The social worker will give you information regarding the basic reason for placement and any specific needs, allergies, health problems or behaviors the child has. Sometimes, the caseworker does not know all of these. Keeping accurate records can help the child if he or she is ever in care again.

16. Do I have to deal with the biological parents and let them in my home? Please remember that the child will always have a set of birth parents. Child and Family Services will help you mentor, support and transition children back to their birth families when it is appropriate, and that does mean you will have to have some contact with birth parents.