Steps to Becoming a Foster Care Family
Initial Intake and Inquiry
Contact us at Urban Behavioral and you will be taking the step to making a big difference in the life of a child. When you call you will be asked whether you want to foster or adopt. Be aware that Foster Care families are licensed and Adoptive families are approved. There are similar requirements for the two categories however the end result is different. Foster Care families provide temporary placement for children in transition. In these scenarios reunification with the biological parent(s) or family is usually the goal and legal custody is maintained by the state of Missouri via a family support worker. In the case of Adoption, legal custody is transferred to the approved family permanently. In both cases, be it foster care or adoption, the safety of children and their permanency are the primary goals of Urban Behavioral Healthcare Institute. We will be working with you, as a team, to find the permanent safe solution for children entrusted to our care.
Complete and Return Family Information Packet with All Forms
As a Foster Care family you will be responsible for individuals who are of minor age. Therefore a variety of information is required about you, your home and those who live there. We realize that some of the questions may feel intrusive, however please know that we ask to know most information so that we can find the best placement for the children in our care.
As a licensed Foster Care family you will be required to comply with specific standards as defined by the state of Missouri. These standards exist to help ensure the well being of the children currently in our care. A detailed listing of these standards is enclosed.
At Home Family Consultation Meetings
Following the completion of the information packet, you will be required to participate in at home consultation meetings. During these meetings, a Family Support Worker will come to your home and discuss the licensing requirements in person. This is done so that we can see the place that children will potentially be living and if it meets the minimum requirements for licensing or approval. The best way for us to know if your home meets the basic requirements is to see it. We will ask that you accompany the Family Support Worker through your home during the first meeting. This may feel a bit odd and intrusive, however please know that it is in the best interest of all involved. We are building a partnership in reference to child protection; viewing the space where children potential will live is necessary.
Pre-Service Training/Completion of STARS program
In this step in the process you will learn tools that will help you to become a successful Foster Care family. The sessions aim to provide common ground for you and your Family Support Worker to discuss your thoughts and concerns about foster care. We will discuss with you our mutual expectations of potential Foster Care families.
Foster STARS training consists of nine (9) three (3) hour sessions (a total of twenty-seven, 27, hours). The training is offered at various locations in the area during day and night hours. Each STARS training team includes an experienced foster parent and a person experienced in children’s services to answer your questions more fully. The sessions cover a wide range of information and have five basic sections, also called competencies. The competencies each have a unique aim and purpose in relation to creating successful Foster Care Families.
They are entitled:
Protecting and Nurturing Children
Meeting Children’s Developmental Needs and Addressing Developmental Delays
Supporting Relationships Between Children and Families
Connecting Children to Safe, Nurturing Relationships
Working as a Member of a Professional Team
Mutual Assessment and Making an Informed Decision
While working on the completion of the Foster STARS program, you and a member of the Family Support Team will meet again and assess your next steps in the process. One of the following outcomes will occur:
We agree that family foster care is the right choice you and your situation. If so, we will meet with you to determine the type of child that will be the most successful addition to your family after licensing is complete.
We agree that adoption is the right choice for you and your situation. If so, you will receive a small amount of additional training necessary to finalize your approval as an adoptive parent. This is required because of the legal and lifetime commitment to the child(ren) involved.
You and your family decide that neither family foster care nor adoption are the right choice for you. In this case we will suggest other ways for you to take small steps to make a difference in the life of child. We will respect your decision and hope that you would continue to find a way to help children.
The Missouri Children’s Division (CD) sets the standards that determine whether family foster care or adoption is a good fit for you and your family. In this case, a Family Support Worker will share our issues or concerns about your ability to become licensed or approved. We will do our best to communicate these concerns through out the training process. No family will be asked to complete the training if there are serious obstacles to your becoming a foster family. Although Urban Behavioral Healthcare Institute will aid your family in the licensing or approval process, DFS has the final responsibility for the decision to license or approve families. We hope you understand
Financial Worksheet
Although you do not have to be rich to be a foster family, a sufficient verifiable income and the ability to manage that income is necessary information when considering licensing or approval of families. Financial difficulties can cause stress in families, which can affect everyone including children. Therefore, how your family manages its financial resources is important to us. For some families, financial creativity, teamwork and resourcefulness can be a source of familial strength. We want to encourage positive financial management while not producing an unnecessary burden on family members.
Foster Family Licensing
After completing the initial intake and inquiry, necessary forms and background checks, at home consultation meetings, STARS program, financial worksheet, and have reached a mutual agreement with the Family Support Team you will be ready for Foster Family Licensing. Please remember that Adoption Approval is a separate system requiring extra training because of the permanency of the arrangement. Based on the relationship built between you and Urban Behavioral Healthcare Institute, the agency will pass on a licensing and approval recommendation to the state. From that point on you will be a part of a team who together make big differences in the lives of St Louis area children.
Child Placement
Following the completion of the Foster Family Licensing requirements, Urban Behavioral Healthcare Institute will continue our relationship by placing a child in your care. We will work with you and your foster child to create an environment of care and stability. Your family support worker will continue to work with you, conducting in home visits to assess the progress of the child entrusted to your care. Please know that although we do our best to find great foster families, not all families are partnered with children immediately. The key is that you continue to be ready and willing to make small steps toward big differences.
