Become a Foster Parent

Requirements

1. You must be at least 18 years old.

2. At least one person in your home must be able to read, write and speak English, or be able to communicate effectively with both the child and the agency that placed the child in your home.

3. You may be single or married. All orientations are acceptable.

4. All religious affiliations are acceptable.

5. You must be able to provide contact information for individuals who can provide references for you.

6. Your household must have enough income to meet the basic needs of those already living in the home and to make timely payment of shelter costs.

7. You do not have to own a home but must have enough space available for the children and their belongings.

8. You must have a separate bed for each child and separate bedrooms for children if there are boys and girls over age 5.

9. You must be free of any physical, emotional or mental conditions that could endanger the child or seriously impair your ability to care for the child.

10. A licensed medical professional must complete and sign a medical statement for you and each member of your household stating that you are healthy enough to care for additional children.

11. Everyone 18 and over living in the home must have criminal background checks completed, as well as child abuse and neglect checks. If you have concerns about something in your past that you think may disqualify you from being a foster parent, talk to your agency about it.

12. Your home must be free of hazardous conditions and pass a fire inspection and safety audit.

13. You must complete all pre-placement and continuing training required by your agency.

1. Contact us today by email here.
2. We will send you information to review
3. Fill out an application to become a foster parent
4. Attend 24 hours of pre-service training
5. Complete all required paperwork.
6. Complete the home study process. This is the family assessment where you meet with our assessor to help us get to know you and walk you through the paperwork process.

Foster parents are required to have 24 pre-service training hours. The training covers:
1 – Rights, roles, responsibilities, and expectations of foster caregivers. Foster caregivers as part of the child protection team.
2 – The substance of infant safe sleep as found at infantsafesleep.ohio.gov
3 – Supporting positive child development
4 – Advantage’s structure, purpose, policies, and services regarding foster caregivers and adoptive parents.
5 – Laws and regulations, including ODJFS requirements for certifying foster homes and approval of adoptive families.
6 – Caring for children who have experienced trauma, including placement and separation, on children, their families, and foster caregivers
7 – The importance of maintaining meaningful connections between the child and parents, including regular visitation
8 – Foster caregivers’ involvement in permanency planning for children and their families and post adoptive issues for children and families including availability of adoption subsidies
9 – The impact of childhood traumas such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and parental substance abuse on typical human growth and development
10 – Behavior management techniques, including effectively using discipline and de-escalation strategies
11 – Building competence in matters of diversity including an overview of MEPA and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), as it applies to the foster care and adoption process.
12 – The substance of section 2152.72 of the Revised Code which deals with the information required to be shared with a foster caregiver when a child who has been adjudicated a delinquent child for the commission of certain violent crimes is placed in a foster home.
13 – Effectively using the reasonable and prudent parent standard as described in division (C) of section 5103.162 of the Revised Code
14 – Procedures for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect pursuant to section 2151.421 of the Revised Code
15 – Partnering with primary families
16 – The appropriate knowledge and skills to understand and support older youth preparing for independent/interdependent living so that the foster parent can help provide such services to the youth as needed and appropriate.
17 – Medication administration
18 – A first aid and a child/adult CPR training program such as those training programs offered by the American red cross, the American heart association, or the equivalent

Click the links below to download the forms.

• • Application
  • Child Characteristic Checklist
  • Financial Statement
  • Fire Inspection
  • Medical

• Criminal Background Check – BCI/FBI – each foster parent and adult member in the household
• References – each foster parent needs 2 unrelated references and 1 related reference
• Copy of Driver’s License – each foster parent & adult member of your household
• Copy of your current auto insurance
• Copy of Social Security Card – each foster parent & adult member of your household
• Copy of your marriage certificate/divorce decree/separation
• Medical (#1653) – complete for each member of your household
• Financial Statement (#1681)
• Copy of your last tax return or W-2
• Copies of pay stubs – most recent 2 months – for each employed foster parent
• Copies of utility bills – electric, gas, phone, water
• Copy of rent/mortgage payment
• Copy of CPR/First Aid Certificate – infant, child, adult
• Acknowledgement Form-crib, medication, well water
• Babysitter/Approved Caregiver Form
• Child Characteristic Checklist (#1673-A)
• Fire Inspection (#1200)
• Evacuation plan
• Pet vaccination records