Care2Foster®
Foster Parent Recruitment and Support
Letter from the Director
Welcome, friends!
As you consider becoming a foster parent, we want to thank you for exploring the role that you may play in the lives of children and families.
Foster parents can make a huge impact! Is it hard? Yes! Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Making a life-changing decision (like stepping into foster care) can feel daunting. That’s why we’re here. Our only goal is to support you as you consider your next steps. Chat with us on LiveChat, send us an email, or schedule a phone call. We want to talk with you and find out how we can help! No question is too big or too small. If we don’t have the answer, we want to connect you with the people and resources that will help you thrive. There is no guilt, no pressure ever! Not everyone can foster, but everyone can do something.
We’ll help you look at your options as a neutral third party and offer feedback based on what we’re hearing from real foster parents in your area. We want all families to feel connected and find more success and fulfillment in fostering — whether you are considering your options, just beginning the foster care licensing process, or you are already fostering.
We’re thrilled that you’re here. Now, let’s connect!
- Paige Wolfe, Director of Caregiver Support, Care2Foster® (and foster parent)
Upcoming Care2Foster Events:
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Becoming a Foster Parent
A Foster Parent Has Open Arms
Foster parents volunteer their time, energy, and resources to care for and nurture children who have been removed from their parents and placed in foster care. Children often enter with nothing but a trash bag full of clothes and some basic belongings. They are upset, confused, and scared. Many have developmental delays or needs that require special accommodations, counseling, or therapies, and nearly all have experienced trauma. Foster parents welcome all of this in order to help children in a time of great need.
The Joy of Fostering
Fostering may become the greatest joy of your lifetime. It will open your eyes to new possibilities. It will transform you, your family, and your kids. You will rise to new heights and discover your potential from within. There will be challenges along the way, but those will equally be met with joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment.
Children in Foster Care
There are 437,000 children in U.S. foster care at any given time, and only 240,000 foster families. This means 197,000 foster families are needed across the country.
Asking the Right Questions
As you consider fostering, there is a lot to process. You may have questions like, How can you love the children and then let them go?, How will fostering impact my children?, What if my spouse doesn’t share my desire to foster?, What age should I foster, What makes a good foster parent, or Can singles foster?
Care2Foster® helps individuals and families understand what fostering is really like so they can make an informed decision for their family. We also help families who are ready to navigate the early decisions like choosing standard or therapeutic foster care and selecting a licensing agency.
Join our Foster Parent Communities
We would like to expand our work to more states. If you are interested in bringing Care2Foster® to your state, please contact us.
The Foster Family Gap
One of the greatest needs in foster care right now are families willing to take in sibling groups and youth.
Could your family be one to meet that need?
Children enter foster care through no fault of their own. It may be due to neglect by their parents or caretakers. Sometimes addiction is involved. Physical or sexual abuse may have occurred.
When a child enters foster care, Social Services quickly looks for a family that can care for the child. A relative or family friend (referred to as "kinship") is often the best option. This rushed process is especially difficult on sibling groups because it usually results in separating siblings who are placed in foster care. Separation can be devastating for a child who was just removed from their parents.
Many families choose to foster younger children, but the need is much greater for youth (ages 12+). We encourage foster parents to do what they are comfortable with when considering the age range and preferences they set for their home. Setting reasonable boundaries around what your family can handle is important, but it is also encouraged to assess the most pressing needs in your area. The greatest need is often for families that will lovingly welcome sibling groups and teens. Many teens age out of foster care (usually between age 18 and 21) because there is not a family the child can stay with while they pursue their next steps in life. One caring adult can make a life-changing difference for a teenager.
The Licensing Process
Before any child in foster care is allowed to enter your home, you must complete the licensing process. The process is designed to be completed within 3 to 6 months, but it can take longer depending on how quickly the requirements are completed and the amount of time the licensing agency takes to process your request.
Children in Foster Care
262,000 children enter the foster care system each year. Nearly half of them are placed with foster parents for an average of 1-3 years, and nearly half of those foster parents stop fostering after the first year, often because they do not have the support they need.
Faith to Foster®
Not everyone can foster, but everyone can do something.
How can the church help to recruit more foster parents? Faith to Foster is a series to help your church and your community think deeply about vulnerable children. This six-session study explores the realities of fostering, with compelling video testimonials from foster families who have struggled and persevered.
Explore the call to foster in your church or small group today.
Learn how you can get more involved with foster care.
Contact one of our Foster Parent Experts to learn more about fostering!