Considering becoming a foster parent or taking the steps to make it happen can feel overwhelming. We have tools to help you understand the process as well as resources to help you grow into the kind of foster parent you dream of becoming.
1. Make the Decision
Is Foster Parenting Really for Me?
There are several factors to consider during this part of the journey:
- Why do I want to do this — What are my motivations?
- How does this all work when it comes to my spouse?
- What should I consider when it comes to my biological kids?
- Do I have the support system necessary to do foster care well?
- If not foster parenting, then what else could I do?
2. Get Certified
Training, Paperwork, and Preparation
While the certification process varies from state to state and even agency to agency, you should expect the following elements:
- Application
- Training (usually 30 or more hours)
- Background Checks
- Home Study
3. Learn and Grow
Gaining wisdom and finding tools
Becoming a great foster parent is an ongoing process of learning and of finding great support. Just a few of the things you’ll want to explore over time include:
- How to parent children who have experienced trauma
- How to work well with child welfare professionals
- How to partner with a child’s biological family
- How to deal with the grief and loss when a child leaves
- How to find and keep a great support system
Featured Resource
The Foster Journey is designed to be your companion as you consider foster care and prepare to be a great foster parent. With wisdom and humor, it walks you through both the initial decision to become a foster parent and provides a road map through the certification process. This guide is a collection of insights from many who have gone before you and asks critical questions to help you along the way.
Tools to Help You
Read more about becoming a great foster parent
Foster Care, Adoption, and Saying Yes to the Unknown
by Jason Johnson
We recently found one of our daughters crying in bed. She seemed fine the last we saw her before going upstairs, so this took us a bit off guard. In a home with four daughters there always seems to be something to cry about, but when she calmed enough to share with us what it was this time, we were shocked.
I Need Answers. How Do You Do This Foster Care Thing?
by Foster the Family
I’m a homeschool mom. Phonics and the Industrial Revolution and fractions take up the majority of my days. The thing about being a homeschool mom is that you feel utterly stupid 50% of the time (also known as 1/2 or .5). Yeah, I can do third grade math, but I can’t figure out how to teach you, dearest daughter, to do it. As a homeschool mom, you realize fairly quickly that there are things that you know how to do…
Riding Shotgun & What it Can Teach Us About the Foster Parenting...
by Jason Weber
We have twin teenage daughters currently learning how to drive. Their learning experience is much different from mine. My childhood was spent in a small Kansas farming community, but our family lives in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area. The girls are learning to drive on paved streets, while much of my initial driving was done on dirt roads…
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