Fostering/Adopting

Step 1 – Initial Contact

• Let us know you’re interested here, call 877-306-6250, or email fostercare@dccca.org
• A Training and Licensing Specialist will follow up with you to answer any questions you have and schedule a meeting with you.

Step 2 – Training

• Pre-service Training – this training is provided by DCCCA at no charge. It will introduce you to the child welfare system and give you the base knowledge to start caring for children who may have been abused, neglected or otherwise mistreated.
• Medical Training – First Aid, Medication Administration, and Universal Precautions certification is required of all foster parents and is provided free of charge by DCCCA through Children’s Alliance. You may require CPR if you have a pool or swim where there isn’t a lifeguard.

Step 3 – Application and Documentation

• Upon the start of pre-service training, we will start the necessary background checks and request responses from your references.
• The following checks will be completed: KBI, FBI, Child and Adult Abuse Registries. We may also have to obtain background checks for previous states for anyone in the home 18 and older that has lived out of state in the past 5 years. Fingerprints will be taken by your trainer.

Step 4 – Background Checks and References

• You will complete your application paperwork and provide copies of needed items such as driver’s licenses, vehicle insurance, and proof of income. Once your application is completed and signed and each family member has had their doctor complete a health assessment form and TB test, we will collect them from you.

Step 5 – Foster Family Assessment

• A DCCCA Training and Licensing Specialist will come to your home to complete a walkthrough and review all foster home regulations. DCCCA submits paperwork to the Department for Children and Families (DCF) Licensing Division following this visit.
• A Department for Children and Families (DCF) Licensing Surveyor will conduct a home inspection.

Step 6 – License Approval

• Your file and assessment will be reviewed by DCF. If everything is in order, your family will be licensed and ready to accept children into your family.

• Each family is assigned one DCCCA Specialist who will visit with the family on a regular basis to ensure that their needs are met
• 24/7 support from your Specialist, because we know concerns don’t just arise during business hours
• Training provided at no cost to foster families
• Personalized matching of children with families
• Two days of paid respite per month
• Reimbursed twice per month, direct deposit available
• Individual and family therapy (home-based or outpatient)
• Liability insurance is provided
• Quarterly support group
• Foster family newsletter
• Appreciation events for foster families

To be licensed with DCCCA, a foster family must meet these minimum requirements:

• All members, including children, must agree to become a foster family.
• Parents must be at least 21 years old to be licensed.
• Must have adequate income to meet your own family’s needs before being a foster parent. You will be asked to verify financial stability by providing proof of income and completing a budget during the licensing process.
• May be single, married, non-married couple or divorced. (May not be “in the process” of a divorce or separated.)
• Cannot have anyone in the home with any felony or some misdemeanor convictions.
• Must have sufficient space (70 square feet for one child or 45 square feet per child for more than one child in a room).
• Each child must have his or her own bed (not a futon or pull-out couch)
• Must have valid driver’s license and reliable, insured transportation.

Call us at 1-877-306-6250 to talk about the process. We’d be happy to answer any questions for you!

Not every child’s situation is right for every family. DCCCA offers several different types of programs based on your experience and preferences. This helps to ensure the best fit for families and children.

Traditional Family Foster Care

• Child In Need of Care (CINC): Care for children under state custody and legal guardianship.
• Emergency: Care for a child in need of immediate protection and placement for overnight or a short period of time.
• Respite: Care which allows short-term placement for a child when the long-term foster family needs a break or is unavailable to care for the child due to vacation or personal issues.
• Kinship: Care for a child who already has a relationship with the caregiver. This could be a relative, teacher, coach or family friend.
• Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (I/DD): Care for children receiving I/DD waiver services through the local Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO.)

Specialized Programs

• Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) Respite: Care for children receiving SED waiver services through mental health centers who need short-term respite.
• Professional Resource Family Care (PRFC): Care for children receiving SED waiver services through mental health centers, generally for 30-60 days.
• Police Protective Custody: Care for children that are temporarily placed under the custody of law enforcement while pending a decision from the court.

Often children in foster care need a permanent, adoptive home. We offer additional training and 24-hour support throughout the adoptive process.

Learn more about our adoption services: Adoption