Questions About Becoming a Foster Parent
What are the steps to becoming a foster parent?
What are the classes like, that prepare people to care for children in foster care?
Is there a need for more foster parents?
Who are the children in need of homes?
What are the ages of children in foster care?
How long does a child usually stay in foster care?
Do I get to choose the children who come into my home?
What kind of financial/medical help is available?
If both parents work full time, can they be foster parents?
Is there a limit on the number of children that can be in a foster home?
What are the required physical aspects of the home?
May foster parents adopt children?
Questions About Utah Foster Care Foundation
Why was UFCF created, and what is the organization’s history?
What has UFCF achieved?
Is UFCF part of state government?
Will Utah ever have enough foster/adoptive families?
How can you support children in foster care?
What are the steps to becoming a foster parent?
Step1: Complete an initial consultation with a Utah Foster Care Foundation representative.
Step 2: Complete a licensing application with reference and medical information and sign the criminal background check/child abuse registry release.
Step 3: Complete pre-service training.
Step 4: The Office of Licensing will complete a family assessment (home study). If approved, a license will be issued to the family. Assistance with the application and licensure process is provided during training.
What are classes like that prepare parents to care for children in foster care?
There are eight classes (32 total hours) of pre-service training. Topics include Division of Child and Family (DCFS) policy, Medicaid policy, abuse and neglect issues, child sexual abuse, how abuse and neglect effect children’s development, attachment, separation, and grief issues for children, discipline, cultural issues, primary families, effects of care giving on the caregiver and adoption issues. This informative training, which is provided in English and Spanish, gives foster parents essential tools to care for children placed in their care. CPR and First Aid training is strongly recommended.
Is there a need for more foster parents?
Yes! Currently there are more than 2,600 diverse children in the state of Utah’s (DCFS) custody. In the Salt Lake Area alone, there are approximately 1,100 children in foster care and fewer than 400 foster families.
Who are the children in need of homes?
Children in foster care have the same interests, abilities, dreams and needs as all children. They come from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. These children have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect or life threatening conditions. These children need safety, security, attention and support. They need an understanding and loving family. Often they have serious emotional and behavioral problems that require supervision, guidance and psychological counseling.
What are the ages of children in foster care?
Children in foster care range in age from infants to teenagers. Especially needed are ethnically diverse families who can help children maintain their cultural identities. We also need families to care for teenagers, children who are medically fragile and sibling groups.
How long does a child usually stay in foster care?
The average time a child stays in foster care is 9 – 12 months. A child may be in your home for a few weeks, months or even years. The length of stay depends on the needs of the child and his/her parent’s participation in their service program. The child’s caseworker works with foster parents regarding placement goals and needs of the child.
Do I get to choose the children who come into my home?
Foster parents select the age range and gender of the children that come into their home. They can help decide if a child is appropriate for their situation. These children have already suffered serious disruption from being removed from their homes. Every attempt is made to initially match a child to a family who is able to meet the child’s individual needs. This prevents the child from being moved from home to home. Children can be matched with the best foster family when there is a large number of foster families to choose from, which often means that families may wait for a placement.
What kind of financial/medical help is available?
Foster parents are reimbursed by the state for the case of caring for a child. Click here to view the current rate structure. The rate of basic care depends upon the age of the child. Foster parents who are caring for children with significant behavioral or medical problems may be reimbursed at a higher rate. Medicaid covers children’s medical, dental, and psychological needs.
If both parents work full time can they be foster parents?
Yes. School-aged children and teenagers may be placed in homes where both parents work, depending upon the needs of the child. DCFS does not reimburse foster parents for day care. Infants and preschoolers are generally placed in foster homes where one parent does not work outside the home.
Is there a limit on the number of children that can be in a foster home?
There is no limit to the number a family may have prior to becoming a foster parent. However, there can be no more than three children in foster care in the home. There can be no more than two infants under the age of 2 in a foster family, including the parents’ own children.
What are the required physical aspects of my home?
The home should be clean, adequately furnished, in good repair, free from health and fire hazards and comply with local fire ordinances. A foster home must be equipped with a smoke detector on each level, a fire extinguisher, a working telephone and a first aid kit. All firearms, ammunition, medication, and hazardous chemicals (cleaning supplies) must be kept locked in storage. Children in foster care may share a bedroom with another child of the same sex and compatible age; however, a separate bed must be provided for each child. An individual’s room must have 80 square feet (8′ x 10′). If children share a bedroom, they must each have 60 square feet (120 sq. ft. for two children or 10′ x 12′). Office of Licensing will send you a complete list of requirements after your initial application has been submitted.
May foster parents adopt children?
Yes. However, the primary goal of DCFS is to protect children and strengthen families. DCFS staff work with families to resolve concerns that led to the initial removal of the child from their primary home. Parents who children are in foster care have 12 to 18 months from the time of their child’s removal to remedy their problems. During this time, the intent of DCFS is to return children to the care of their biological parents. Foster parents play a key role in supporting and mentoring the birth family. If the biological parents do not improve the situation in the home, DCFS may seek to terminate the parent’s rights, thus freeing the child for adoption.
Families interested in adopting through the state of Utah must assume the risk that the child will return to the care of the biological parents. Foster families need to be supportive of DCFS efforts to return children to their natural families. If the child you are fostering becomes available for adoption, you may ask to be considered with other adoptive parents. Foster/adoptive parents may adopt a child and still continue to foster, if they choose. There is no guarentee that foster parents will be able to adopt the children placed in their home.
Why was UFCF created, and what is the organization’s history?
Following a lawsuit and settlement agreement in 1994, the state legislature increased funding for the state’s child welfare system (Division of Child and Family Services) to improve services to children and families. At this time, the number of licensed foster/adoptive families in Utah was declining. Governor Michael Leavitt and Lt. Governor Olene Walker, commissioned a panel to study the child welfare system and address the decreasing number of available foster families in Utah. The panel recommended the creation of a public/private partnership with a non-profit organization charged with developing innovative strategies to recruit, train and assist the Division in their support of foster/adoptive families. In 2000, the Utah Foster Care Foundation assumed statewide responsibility for recruiting and training foster/adoptive families in Utah.
- Developed the first comprehensive statewide program to recruit and train foster parents in the state of Utah.
- Recruited, trained and graduated over 6,000 families
- Consistently met or exceeded the annual recruitment and training goals established by Division of Child and Family Services
- Provided more than 21,000 individuals with one-on-one answers to inquiries on foster parenting and requests for information
- Developed a statewide training program using curriculum that is consistent and offered to families in every community
- Increased training completion rate for foster families to 80 percent
- Organized a network of foster/adoptive family support groups (Clusters) statewide, working with DCFS and the adoption community
- Communicated to families and child welfare professionals through more than 100,000 Foster Roster newsletters
- Raised millions of dollars in cash, grants and in-kind donations to enhance the foundation’s programs and provide resources and services to children and families
Is UFCF part of state government?
No, Utah Foster Care Foundation (UFCF) is a private non-profit 501(c)3. The Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) in Utah contracts with UFCF to recruit, train and help to support foster/adoptive families in Utah. As a non-profit organization, UFCF is able to develop effective partnerships with businesses, individuals and faith-based organizations to further our mission and find families for children in foster care. DCFS identifies their regional placement needs and determines a target number of families to be recruited and trained for each community. Recruitment goals include the number of families to be recruited and trained in each community.
Will Utah ever have enough foster/adoptive families?
Unfortunately, the need for foster/adoptive families in every community in Utah is ongoing and consistent. Children continue to enter Utah’s foster care system and foster/adoptive families leave the system, most often for positive reasons such as adoption of children from foster care.
How can you support children in foster care?
There are many ways to support children in foster care and the families that care for them. Utah Foster Care Foundation is always in need of donations and volunteers to meet the needs of families and children. For more information on how you can support children and families click here: get involved.
Toll-free: 877.505.KIDS
Local: 801.994.5205
moreinfo@utahfostercare.org