Foster parents act as "stand-in" parents for children whose birth parents are unable to care for them. Foster parenting requires dedication, generosity and patience. If you feel you are up to the challenge, you must first familiarize yourself with the foster parenting process, and ensure that you can comply with state guidelines and regulations. Foster care regulations differ in every state, so take care to research those in your state of residence.
Personal Qualifications
In most states, to become a foster parent you must be a responsible, healthy adult older than 21 years of age, according to Fosterparenting.com. You must have a stable income and reliable transportation. You must provide character references and complete a background check, a criminal history check and fingerprinting. You don't have to be married, own your own home or earn a specific income to foster a child.
Home Study
Foster parent applicants must undergo a home study. In a home study, a social worker will visit your home to determine its suitability for foster care. She will check to ensure that your home meets state safety and health guidelines, and that you have an available bed and other necessary amenities. She may also conduct a series of interviews with you and members of your household to get a sense of your character and your home life, as well as to determine your preparedness level. Once approved, your home will be certified for foster care. Different states and different agencies have different guidelines for home certifications.
Training
Fosterparenting.com notes that most states will require you to complete a specific number of training hours before you become a foster parent. This number ranges from six in Michigan to 70 in Alabama. Some states require that a specific number of total pre-training hours be dedicated to therapeutic training. Once you become a foster parent, most states require that you complete an additional number of training hours annually. Training is provided by foster care agencies at no cost to the prospective foster parent.
Licensing
Once your state's requirements have been met, you will receive a foster care license. All foster parents start out with a general care foster parent license. After meeting the conditions for a general care license for a stipulated time, you can apply for an emergency care license, where you agree to be available to foster a child at a moment's notice in an emergency situation, and/ or a specialized care license, which certifies you to foster children with serious emotional and/ or physical needs. Financial care compensation from the state varies according to the type of license you obtain. You must adhere to any state guidelines and complete all necessary training to maintain or renew your license.
Limitations
According to Adopt US Kids, many states have limitations on the number of children a single, group or therapeutic foster home can take in, the number of total children that may live in foster home and/or the number of special needs children or children of a certain age group that can be taken it at any one time. States will often make exceptions for siblings.
