Information Meeting
You will need to attend an information meeting in your area where you can discuss the scope and requirements of being a foster/adoptive parent. Here you will get basic information and all your questions are welcome.You do not need an appointment. Find free foster care and adoption information meetings in your area today.
Basic Requirements
The prospective foster/adoptive parents may be single or married and must.
The training provides an opportunity for the family and Inner Circle to assess whether foster care or adoption is best for the family. The family may withdraw from the meetings at any time. There is no charge for the meetings. Foster/adoptive parents generally train together.
In addition to the basic requirements, foster parents must:
Foster Parents:
Adoptive Parents:
Training
You will attend foster parent training with Inner Circle trainers to learn more about the children available through the Department of Children and Family Services to assess your strengths in parenting children. The classes also boost your knowledge and confidence to meet the challenge of taking children into your home and to be sure you are ready to follow through on the commitment. The state minimum standards require that prospective foster families also complete the following training’s or certifications.
Family Home Study
A caseworker will visit you in your home. The purpose is to discuss your personal history, family interests and lifestyle, childcare experiences, the types of children you feel would best fit in your home, and your strengths and skills in meeting the children’s needs.
What is a home study?
The home study (for adoption purposes it is also known as the Pre-adoptive Home Screening) is used in assessing the home for children’s safety and available space. All homes must meet standards enumerated in the minimum standards and guidelines by the state and the county. The home study is designed to elicit information on a variety of issues including:
Applicants are informed by Inner Circle whether or not their home was approved and the reasons for the decision. Families who have successfully completed the assessment process and are determined able to meet the needs of the children in foster care are approved.
Families can be approved to provide care in four general categories:
Can foster families adopt?
Yes! Many families are interested in both fostering and adopting. They agree with the Inner Circle that the children’s needs come first. In most cases, this means helping prepare children for reunification with their birth family, mentoring the birth parents, or working toward a relative or kinship placement. When termination of parental rights is in the children’s best interest and adoption is their plan, then foster parents who have cared for the children will be given the opportunity to adopt. Dual certification of parents to both foster and adopt speeds up the placement process, reduces the number of moves a child makes, and allows relationships to evolve with the initial placement process. Nearly half the adoptions of children in foster care are by their foster families.
Can adoptive families provide foster care?
Yes! Adoptive families who are willing to accept placement of children who are not yet legally free for adoption but have a plan for adoption can also become certified as foster families. This dual certification increases the opportunities for successful adoptions. In some areas of the state, a “buddy system” has been developed in which experienced foster families, who understand the challenges and rewards of foster parenting, are available to share experiences with new families and give support.