Who Can Become Foster Parents

Services

Foster Family Responsibilities

Donations

Steps to Becoming Foster Parents

1. Pre-service training

Persons interested in becoming foster parents must first complete 36 hours pre-service training. It is during this training period that foster parents are informed of our programs, requirements, expectations, the home study process, and very detailed information regarding the children awaiting homes and the issues that they have. Children with special needs may require additional medical or behavioral trainings. In addition to Pre-service training, traditional and treatment foster families will be required to obtain CPR and First Aid certification prior to becoming a licensed foster caregiver.

Pre-service training will cover the following areas:
Orientation: Overview of Foster Care, Adoption and Kinship Care
The Child Protection Team
The Effects of Abuse or Neglect on Child Development
Attachment, Separation, and Placement
Managing Behavior
Preventing and De-escalating Crisis
Cultural Issues in Placement
Understanding Primary Families
Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused
The Effects of Caregiving on the Caregiver Family
Permanency for Children
Permanency for Families

2. Application submission

An application will be submitted to you during the pre-service training. You will take this application home and fill it out. It is an extensive paperwork process that allows the agency to become more aware of your interests in foster care.

3. The Home Study

This process can begin while you are still in training. It is during this time that a series of visits will be conducted and all members of the household will be interviewed. Safety regulations will be discussed. A home safety audit and fire inspection will be conducted. During the home study process, the applicant will be required to present all but not limited to the following documentation:

Documentation of current and past marital status
ODJFS 1681, Applicant Financial Statement
Bureau of Criminal Investigation Finger Print Check
New employee urine/drug screen
Proof of residency in Ohio for the past 5 continuous years:
Tax records
School attendance
Bank/financial records
Rent or mortgage payments
Federal Bureau of Investigation background check if the resident has not resided in Ohio for the past 5 continuous years or cannot provide documentation to prove residency

Once a family passes a home study, you may be recommended for licensing for foster care.

4. Licensing

Once a family completes the previous steps and are recommended for licensing, the family may be issued a license from ODJFS.

5. Placement

Once you have become licensed, placements may begin to occur.  A worker will contact you with a possible placement. The amount of time before you receive your first child depends on the characteristics of the children you identified.
6. Continued Education

Foster Caregivers will be required to obtain sixty hours of ongoing training per each certification period, which will include training on the following topics:

Parents and Foster Caregivers as part of the child protection teams
The dynamics of child abuse and neglect and recognizing and preventing child abuse and neglect
The effects of child abuse and neglect on child development
How foster caregivers should work with children and their families regarding placement, separation, and attachment issues
Behavioral management techniques
Foster Caregiver’s working with children’s families
Effects of caregiving on children’s families
Caring for children who have been sexually abused
Cultural competency
Substance abuse and dependency
Symptoms of mental illness and learning disorders
Developmentally appropriate activities for children
Preparing adolescents for independent living
First Aid and CPR
Issues concerning physical restraint techniques and appropriate use of physical restraints
Special education surrogate parent training (up to 8 hours)