Specific requirements for becoming a certified foster parent will depend on where you live. Start by researching your Department of Human Services of Department of Children and Family Services. You can also be certified by a foster care agency where you live. If you are having trouble getting started try the National Foster Care & Adoption Directory Search.
Volunteer to be a Court-appointed special advocate (CASA) or guardian ad litem (GAL). Both roles will collaborate with foster parents, social workers, lawyers, and other professionals to advocate for children in care, largely in the court setting. Learn more about becoming a CASA or GAL.
Children in care can only be supervised by designated individuals who have undergone specific background checks and trainings. Offer to become a backup person to a foster parent in your life. Take even more off their plate by researching how to become certified. Once you are a backup person, offer to be listed as an emergency contact for school/daycare/aftercare. It can also be incredibly helpful to have a set time every week or month that you provide childcare. Offer to watch children while foster parents go to therapy, a support group, or even take a nap.
Foster parents get an allotted amount of respite each month. This means they can send children in their care to certified respite homes for a weekend or longer while they travel or take time off to recharge. Becoming certified as a respite provider is similar to the process of becoming a certified foster parent, but placements are typically a weekend or a week long.
Providing short term care means you are a fully certified foster parent, but you’ve told the agency you only want short term placements. Before going this route, speak to other people who have worked with the agency to get a sense of an average “short term” placement length as this can vary from a night or weekend to longer placements.
Many children come into care without the essential clothes and toiletries they need. Consider donating clothes, hygienic items, suitcases, toys, books, and journals to foster families, agencies, or organizations. Welcome bags are ideally provided on the first night of a new placement so that the children have everything they need and the family has some support and well wishes as well.
Clothes, shoes, hygiene items, books, toys, and family meals are always appreciated.
Consider sharing or gifting an annual membership to a science center, children museum, aquarium, zoo, or other fun activity for a family. It can be challenging for foster parents to gauge if an annual membership will be a good fit for their family, but having a free place to go with kids is priceless!
Children and young adults benefit from having lots of caring and affirming adults in their life. Mentoring a child in care also provides a much needed break for their caregivers. In addition to children in care, consider mentoring a young adult who has aged out of foster care.
If you can not find local mentoring organizations, consider reaching out to one of these national organizations:
Teens and young adults who have aged out of foster care may have nowhere to go for the holidays. Consider partnering with an organization to invite young people into your home for a day, weekend, or week over holidays.
In addition to holidays, think about supporting children and families impacted by foster care around mothers day, fathers day, birthdays, graduations and other milestones typically celebrated by families. These days can be incredibly bittersweet and challenging. Make note and check in with those in your community on these days. Even something as simple as asking "how are you feeling about this" instead of offering congratulations can go a long way.
Research organizations in your community that support families at risk of being separated by the foster care system. Donate time, money, or expertise. If you can’t find a local organization with this specific aim, consider researching organizations that focus on foster care, families who live in poverty and families impacted by domestic violence.
In a perfect world, no family would have to be separated. Research organizations that lobby for policies to strengthen and support families at risk of separation. If you are having trouble finding these organizations, consider supporting groups and proposed legislation that supports subsidized childcare, PreK, employment opportunities, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, prison abolition, and bail out campaigns.
Federal laws to keep in mind include the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Victims of Crime Act, and Violence Against Women Act. Research your local legislative session and contact your representatives to make your positions known.