Frequently Asked Questions about Foster Parenting     

IFCAA

509 E. National Ave. Ste A

Indianapolis, IN 46227

Q: Who do I call to become a foster parent?

A: In Indiana, you can foster through the Indiana Department of Child Services (what used to be referred to as the Welfare Department) or a private child-placing agency.

You can foster through your County Department of Child Services (D.C.S.). Each of the 92 counties in the state has an office that licenses and trains foster parents and coordinates foster care.

You can foster through one of 40+ private agencies across the state that license foster parents and refer children for placement into foster homes. Some of the private agencies, such as The Villages, SAFY and White’s Family Services have a home office and satellite offices around the state.  Some private agencies are regional and others are local to a county or community. This list of private agencies is a good place to start. Private agencies will typically only license you if they feel you live in an area that they currently service or can service in the future. You may have to call around to determine if an agency services your community.

And in some counties, the local mental health center may also license and train foster parents, such as Adult and Child Mental Health Centers.

Contact us for an information packet and contacts for your area by calling 1-800-468-4228 or by email @ adoption@iquest.net. 

After you determine who you are going to call, your first questions should be:

Q: Do you have an orientation process for people wanting to become foster parents, and if so, what is it? 

A: Each county and licensing agency does this process a little differently. Some agencies schedule people to come in to their office for a meeting, others have regularly scheduled foster parent orientation meetings throughout the month.

Q: What do you have to do to become a foster parent?

A: You have to be screened and trained and licensed. In Indiana, there are three types of licenses and each reflects the type of care that a child in foster care requires. You become licensed through either a private or public agency, however, the state ultimately grants and holds your license.

To be screened, you must go through an orientation process, have your home inspected, have a criminal background check and some agencies will require you to have a physical as well as a psychological evaluation. If you are married or live with a partner, both of you must go through this process together. If you have children living in the home with you, they also will be taken into the licensing consideration and ultimately, will have input into the process.

Your home must pass certain fire and building codes and if you have well water, your water will have to be tested. You must pay for any costs incurred during this process. You will need to complete a first aid training course and a minimum of 20 hours of training before you will be eligible for licensing. 

Once you become licensed, you must complete continuing education hours each year to maintain your license. Again, depending on the type of license that you hold, you will need at least 10 and probably 20 to 30 hours of additional training each year, completed by the anniversary date of your license. Your license is subject to renewal every two years, however if you do not complete the required training each year, your license can be revoked before the two-year renewal deadline.

Q: How long does it take to become a foster parent

A: This process can be as short as 4 to 6 weeks or it can be as long as 6 months. It can depend upon whether the agency has enough staff to coordinate this process, how often orientation and training classes are scheduled and also how timely you fulfill certain requirements and submit certain form.

Q: Do I have a choice in the age or type of child that I can care for?

A: Yes. After you have gone through the orientation and training you should be able to determine what skills you have to offer for what child.  In other words, if you work best with teenagers but aren’t necessarily eager to chase after a toddler, then you should make that known to your agency. Just remember that foster care is community-based and if you decide that you want to only work with teens or that your home is best suited for boys, you may go for periods of time without a child in your home. But that is okay. You should never accept the placement of a child in your home that you do not feel qualified for or willing to handle.

Q: Do I receive payment for the care of a child?

A: In Indiana foster parents receive what is referred to as a per diem for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. It is limited, capped and subjective to the agency for which you foster. It is generally based upon the age of the child and the level of care that child requires. Per diem rates are different from county to county and from agency to agency. Each agency has its own policy of rates and what expenses the per diem covers.

You need to get a written policy or guideline from the agency for which you will foster. Additionally, some agencies offer a clothing allowance for children as well as travel reimbursement for out-of-town appointments for the child. Again, you must discuss this with the agency. Most agencies make the per diem payment to you once a month.

Q: How long do the children stay with me in my home?

A: This usually is determined by the court and the agency. Typically you will foster for a child who has been made a ward of the state through a court process that determines the Child to be in Need of Services or CHINS. Sometimes a child will be placed in your home after he/she is taken out of their home for protection while waiting for the court hearing. Every child's circumstance is unique and you should learn more about the court process in training to become a foster parent.

Q: Do I have to talk to the child’s parents?

A: The first responsibility of the agency under the law is to make sure that the child is safe. The second responsibility is to try to make it possible for the child to return home and live with their legal parents. Your job as a foster parent is to assist the agency in carrying out its responsibility. As a foster parent, you need to be objective and tolerant of different life styles. You will be required, as well as expected, to be helpful in communicating with or even meeting the child’s parents. Since every situation is different, one cannot generalize about the interaction you may have with a child’s parents. This decision does not usually materialize until later on in the process of the child’s case. Foster parents sometimes supervise visitation between children and parents. Sometimes they help the parents with their parenting skills. Sometimes they have minimal or no contact at all with the child’s parents. You will learn how to cope with different situations in the foster parent training.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a foster parent. The Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association is a support, training and advocacy organization that assists parents in working with children that are or have been in the foster care system. If you need more information please call our office.

Phone: 317-524-2600

Fax: 317-524-2609

E-mail: info@ifcaa.org

Updated: December 14,2007