The Department of Children's Services maintains several requirements that must be met by persons interested in the foster care program.

Those interested must be able to:

• Give without the expectation of immediate returns
• Have room in your home and in your daily life
• Learn and use proven behavioral management skills
• Love and care for children with problems

Foster Parents can be:

• Single or married
• With or without children of their own
• May be employed or not employed, but must be able to financially meet his/her own needs
• Must be in sufficient good health
• Must be 21 years of age
• Homeowners or renters

Because of the complexity of the critical role foster parents play, DCS carefully assesses all applicants. It also provides the opportunity for prospective foster parents to work with a case manager to assess themselves before they accept the role of foster parent.

DCS provides a 30-hour training pre service program PATH -- Parents As Tender Healers -- to all prospective foster parents. All potential foster parents must provide five references and will be fingerprinted and will have to undergo a complete background check.

Each potential foster parent daily participates in a home study that assists the department and the families in making decisions regarding the foster home approval process.

If you are interested in becoming a Foster Parent please call 1-877-DCS-KIDS.