FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FOSTER CARE

Is there currently a need for foster families at Marywood?

Yes, Marywood is currently looking for families interested in providing care for children ages 4 to 17 and sibling groups.

How do I find out more information about the foster care process?

Anyone interested in learning more about the foster care process is encourage to attend an upcoming Adoption and Foster Care Information Meeting or ask to have an informational packet sent to you. contact  FosterCare@marywood.org


What is the process for becoming licensed as a foster parent?

Request and informational packet about the program
Complete the application materials
Attend training, Parent Resource Information Development and Education (PRIDE), required for all families interested in adoption or foster care

What is involved in the Home Screening Process?

		Application and related documents
		Interviews with a caseworker
		Visits in your home
		Completion of a criminal history check
		References

How long does the process take?

It generally takes six to eight weeks to complete the home screening and training process through Marywood. This is an approximate time frame and may be dependent upon the family’s schedule, the timely return of the required documents and the agency’s training schedule.

What are the eligibility requirements for Marywood foster families?

		Foster parents must be at least 21 years of age and have a GED or high school diploma
		Complete Home Screening Process
		Meet the annual training and ongoing documentation requirements

What is Marywood looking for in a foster family?

		The life experiences that will prepare them to work with children who may have a history of abuse or neglect
		The maturity to understand a child’s struggle to deal with the complex issues surrounding the loss of his/her birth family
		The maturity to appropriately interact and work with the birth families of the children in their care
		The desire to participate in Service Planning for the child as an active member of the team
		The knowledge and understanding of the developmental milestones of children
		The ability to support the child’s permanency plan (i.e. family reunification, kinship placement, adoption, etc.
		A commitment to abide by the agency’s Policies and Procedures

How often will we have contact with a Marywood case worker?

Your case worker will visit you on a monthly basis when there are children in your home (or more frequently, if needed.) A quarterly visit will also be made to update the certification of your home. Depending on the needs of the child, there may be other people who visit your home such as the child’s Court Appointed Special Advocate, a Child Protective Services case worker, or mental health professionals who have a connection with that child.

Is there a fee for completing the Home Screening Process?

No, there is no fee for prospective foster parents to complete the home screening process.

Is financial assistance available to foster families?

Yes, families are provided with a daily reimbursement for routine expenses such as food, clothing and other daily needs. Medicaid is also available to cover the costs of medical and dental care for the children in your home.

Could we ever adopt one of the children place in our home?

Yes, if that child becomes legally free for adoption and another family has not already been chosen.  For children placed through Child Protective Services’ system, the permanency plan is reunification. If, however, the plan changes to adoption, the foster family may be considered as a possible adoptive family.

What training is required of foster families?

All families providing basic foster care will be required to maintain current Infant/Child CPR and First Aid certification. Additionally, families providing basic care are required to have twenty hours of training annually, to include SIDS/Shaken Baby Syndrome, behavior management, parenting children with histories of abuse and neglect and other topics that relate to the population of children in your home.

Marywood is currently
recruiting foster parents
who are open to providing
care for children of all
ages, if you are interested, please contact us at FosterCare@marywood.org.

Adoption & Foster Care Information Meetings
June 15, 2010
July 20, 2010
August 17, 2010
September 21, 2010
October 19, 2010
November 16, 2010

PRIDE will be conducted
June 15, 17, 22, 24, 26, 29 and July 1, 2010, in the John Paul II Conference Room at the Marywood offices.

PRIDE training is the TDFPS-approved pre-service training for all prospective foster and adoptive parents in our Kid Connection program.  All adults in the household preparing to foster or adopt must complete this free training.